Tis dark magic most foul
by mortal-paralight
Summary: Jamie Karsson is a new student at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and doesn't fit in well because her little secret. But will it be different when she goes to Hogwarts? Will she make new friends and maybe get into a relationship? Find out:
1. A new home

**Hey everyone. Well, I know you guys have probably read my other story Hell Hath Only Love but now, I'm posting this new story online. I hope you guys like it as much as the other one. Well, anyways, read away everyone and review at the end:)**

**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter!!!**

Chapter 1

A new home

Every year, it was the same thing. Changing schools, having to explain my "sudden departures from the country", it was all just… oh, what's the right word I'm looking for…? Repulsive. Yeah, that's it. Repulsive. At the end of each year, my foster parents thought it was too dangerous for me to stay in the same school for more than one year. So, the only solution to that problem was to move. From Repucto School of Magic to Confinda's school for the gifted, and from Guardinia's magical educational institute to my new school, Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Great… Just one more school that can reject me.

Every school that I go to, they reject me because I'm… different. Exceptional, unique… You can use whatever word you want, it still won't change anything. I don't have any friends; people won't come and talk to me. Face it, I'll probably wind up alone again this year. And it's only because my biological parents were killed when I had turned five. Death Eaters were roaming the streets and they just _had_ to kill _my_ parents. It couldn't have happened to anyone else but me! I accepted a long time ago that I was just a danger magnet, but at that age, I didn't think that it could be that bad. Everyone rejected me because I had a special mark on the back of my neck.

Apparently, that special mark was going to save my life one day. It hasn't happened yet so, it only makes me wonder if it wasn't just a weirdly shaped birthmark. When my parents died, I was forced to go to an orphanage. No one wanted me until the age of nine. I was four years in that rotten place. A non-magical, or as the magical world would call them, a Muggle couple took me in when I had just turned nine and I've been living with them for seven years now. I didn't mind the Crowty family but… they didn't get me. I was a witch and they weren't. Only one thing still bugged me to this day… How did they know I was a witch? I tried to ask them, but all they would say is 'Maybe when you're older' or 'let's talk about it later'. I got sick of that!

The only unfortunate thing about my past is that I couldn't remember my parents at all. All I had was an amulet with their picture cut into it. They were absolutely adorable in the picture. I had my mother's dark brown eyes and her long flowing light brown hair. But all of my other features came from my father. The facial features, the height, the whole shebang! I wanted to know everything about them…

Even today, as I stood in front of the Platform nine and three quarters, I stared at the beautiful train, thinking about my past. At different moments, I would think about the future as well. What would others think of me when I arrived there? Would I fit in? Would my teachers like me or despise me? I would find out eventually. I handed my luggage to the attendant and marched inside the train confidently, or so it seemed. Sure, my attitude seemed confident but my insides were screaming in terror.

I sat in an empty booth and placed my fierce and mighty cat beside me. "Jamie, why won't you let out of here?" My stubborn cat asked in his adorable voice.

"I still don't get why you can talk. But you know the rules Malco, pets are supposed to stay in their cages until we get to Hogwarts. When we get there, you can go chase all the rats you want." I told him. I wanted so badly to pet his white with black stripes fur but I had to let him in his cage. This cat reminded me of a white tiger at times. Usually, he's cute and gentle but when he's stuck inside for too long, he's ferocious. "Now, if anyone comes in here, act like a cat. And don't talk." I warned.

"Fine… I'll be nice." He caved. I always win when it comes to Malco and his behaviour. Malco was the only good thing about my past. My real parents gave him to me for my fifth birthday and ever since, I've had him as a pet. But his name… His name sounded malicious, like it was sent from a dark wizard or something. But he keeps saying that my parents bought him in a store. So, I guess it can't be that bad.

"Good boy." I said as I placed my finger between the bars to his cage and scratched his chin. He always liked that.

"I'm not a dog, Jaime." I removed my finger from the cage and he looked at me in shock. "Why'd you stop? I liked it."

"Alright, alright." I went back to scratching him and he purred in delight. The only time he would purr was when I scratched him under the chin, when he sat on my head or when he slept beside me on the bed.

Suddenly, I saw people approaching outside the booth and I looked at Malco. "Act like a cat. I'll give you a treat when we get to school." I whispered. He laid his head on his paws and closed his eyes to take a nap. He usually did that when he didn't want to act.

The door to the booth opened to reveal a young woman with waist-length dirty blonde hair, silvery grey eyes that distracted me from the rest of her appearance. I looked away from her eyes to find her jewellery quite… different. She wore a blue tank top with a pink jacket and what looked to be an Irish kilt. "Hello there, would it be possible for me to sit here?" Her voice sounded dreamy and it sounded like she was a little eccentric. Although, I can't judge a book by its cover.

"Um… sure." I hesitated on that. If she was like the others, then she would just up and leave. She sat down on the seat in front of me and started looking in her bag for something. She picked up a magazine and held it in front of me. "_Quibbler_?" She asked in her strange voice. It was soft but weird in some way.

I took the magazine and looked through it. "What's _The Quibbler_? I've never heard of this one before." I commented.

"My father publishes this tabloid. It used to be filled with theories and stories, but now my father publishes stories about the events unfolding in the magical world." She explained.

"Interesting…"

"I'm Luna Lovegood, by the way. What's your name? I've never seen you around Hogwarts." Luna said intrigued.

"Actually, I'm Jameson Karsson, but everyone calls me Jamie. I'm new here." I explained. I looked out the window and only found green land. We were on our way to Hogwarts.

"That's very interesting. Where did you attend before coming here?" She seemed really interested in my past. Maybe she was different than the others…

"Oh, I moved around a lot so, every year I was forced to go to a different school. Have you always gone to Hogwarts?" I asked. I might as well know a little about her.

"Yes, Hogwarts is my home away from home. My house is Ravenclaw. What house do you think you'll be placed in?"

"Bloody hell… I—I didn't know there were houses." I admitted.

"Didn't your other schools have lovely houses?" She asked.

"Not exactly. We had something different. The guys were on one side of the school and the girls on the other." Those were the rules to _all_ of my other schools. Even though it was a co-ed school, it sure didn't feel like it.

"Well, you'll see that it's different at Hogwarts." Luna said happily. Suddenly, a woman with curly and bushy brown hair and brown eyes came in the train compartment.

"Luna, I've been looking for you everywhere! Neville's looking for… Oh, I'm sorry. And you are?" The girl asked.

"Jamie Karsson."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Hermione Granger. I see you already met Luna." Hermione answered. Her voice seemed bossy but her attitude was gentle and caring. "So Luna, Neville is in the cart next to this one, if you want to go see him."

"I'll see you later, Jamie." Luna said as she left the compartment. Of course… She left. But Hermione took her place on the seat. How shocking.

"You must be new around here." She noticed.

"How could you tell?" I asked sarcastically. She chuckled softly, more to herself than anyone else.

"I see you have a sense of humour." Her British accent was cute. Where I lived, you didn't hear many people with British accent these days.

"Is that bad?"

"Not at all. It shows character. I suppose Luna already told you about the school." Hermione said.

"Well, all she told me was about the houses. What are the kinds of houses anyways?"

"Weren't you informed before coming here?" She seemed shocked. I wondered if there was anything else in that letter I was sent by the mail. I should check every part of a letter before throwing it out when I'm done…

"Not really. They told me about the uniform and my accessories I needed for school but nothing about the houses." It was true. I didn't think that there was anything related to different houses, whatever that meant.

"Well, there are four houses. There's Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Each one of those houses symbolizes a different trait, that's how they decide where the students get placed. I was placed in Gryffindor. Which house do you think you'll be placed in?" She informed me. Well, this was interesting.

"Well, any house will do. So, when do we arrive?"

"The train should stop very soon. I suggest you get your things together." She said as she stood up and went towards the door.

"Um… thanks for the info." I wanted to at least say something before she would leave.

"It's alright. I'll see you around school. I hope you get into Gryffindor. Let's wait and see what the hat says." She mentioned before leaving the compartment. What did she mean when she said 'Let's wait and see what the hat says'? What hat? I saw her come back and opened the door before saying: "By the way, I like your pet. It looks adorable."

"Well, they seem nice." Malco said.

"Oh, they'll do like everyone else…" I replied sadly.

"Give them a chance Jamie. Maybe they're different. They seemed to like you. And that girl Hermione seemed to like me the most." He said happily. I guess he was enjoying the moment. But it would end shortly like the other experiences.

"Wait until they get to know me." I said before the train came to a stop. I grabbed the cage and headed for the exit of the train cart. People pushed me out of the way rudely and eventually, made me fall to the ground, causing scrapes on my palms and elbows. I dropped Malco and the cage opened. He seemed afraid of his surroundings and ran towards me. He fled under my chest and started shaking. He was really afraid. With his size, he could probably be squashed in an instant. I waited on the floor until all the students were out of the train cart.

When all the students left, I looked at Malco. He seemed to have relaxed when the students were out of the train. "Are you alright?" I asked him.

"Nothing damaged. What about you?" His voice sounded shaky.

"A few scrapes here and there but nothing serious. Now, let's get out of this train. It's getting on my nerves." I said as I picked him up and picked up the battered cage. Man, this cost me a lot of Muggle money… I won't be getting this back.

As I exited the train, a very tail and large man watched me curiously.

"Hey ya, what are ya doing?! You're supposed to be getting your luggage in front! Now, get going." He told me as he pointed towards a very large gate. I marched slowly towards the gate and the tall man left the other way, probably looking if there were any more students on the train like me.

As I approached the gate, a carriage was waiting for me with my entire luggage waiting for me to embark. The carriage was pulled by a skeletal horse with reptilian features. It seemed quite large but that must have been for its wings. It turned its head to look at me and it made me take a step backwards. It frightened me. What was it anyways? I had never seen anything like it before.

I mounted the carriage and the creature started walking up the path. It was a nice ride up the path and I tried to calm Malco down but it was a challenge. Even scratching under his chin wasn't working.

"That was terrifying…" He said; his voice still shaky.

"Don't worry Malco, that won't happen anymore. I won't let that happen again." I cuddled him to my chest.

"I hope it doesn't happen again." He said but the carriage was slowing down. I looked around and saw a large castle with many lights illuminating the beautiful scenery. This was amazing. This must be Hogwarts. I was in a new home now. We would just have to see how this year would go.

As I entered the school with my entire luggage, a tall, black-haired woman wearing an emerald green robe stood at the top of the staircase. "Young lady, you're late! Everyone has been waiting for your arrival."

"Sorry… Um..." This woman didn't seem like the type of woman you should cross paths with. Her stern face explained it all. I came up the stairs at a fast pace, Malco still in my arms. She didn't seem to like Malco.

"Professor McGonagall and I suggest you put your animal in a cage before you enter the Great Hall."

"Um… that idea's kinda down the drain." I said as I showed her my battered cage. She rolled her eyes and took her wand out of her sleeve. She swung her wand at the cage and in seconds, the bumps and scratches were gone and my cage was as good as new. "Oh." was all I could say.

"Now, shall we enter?" She asked as we approached the two large doors behind her. She opened the door and stared in amazement at the room in front of me. Four long tables were lined horizontally on beside the other, leaving room between the second and third table to approach the main table at the front, lined vertically. That must be the professor's table.

In front of the main table was a group of younger students. Those must be first year students. I was going into my fifth year of school so; I stood out from the rest of them. I walked towards the younger students and the hat on the chair in front of the podium started talking. It made me jump. It started singing a strange song I had never heard before. I guess it was its introduction for the newer students. It went like this:

_Oh you may not think me pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me.  
You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the __Hogwarts__ Sorting Hat  
And I can cap them all.  
There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be. _

_  
You might belong in __Gryffindor__,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
Set __Gryffindor__s apart;  
You might belong in __Hufflepuff__,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient __Hufflepuff__s are true  
And unafraid of toil;  
Or yet in wise old __Ravenclaw__,  
if you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;  
Or perhaps in __Slytherin__  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folks use any means  
To achieve their ends. _

_  
So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands  
For I'm a Thinking Cap!_

Afterwards, Professor McGonagall stood in front of a podium. Her stern eyes looked at the students sitting at the tables and started speaking.

"Now, as I call out your name, you will sit down on this chair and the Sorting Hat will place you into your houses." She called out a few names and the younger students that were named were sorted into different houses. Some were placed into Hufflepuff, a few in Gryffindor, and many were placed into Slytherin. "Jameson Karsson." Professor McGonagall called and my stomach tightened. I usually didn't get nervous but now, the level of nervousness, on a scale of one to ten, was an eleven.

What if I was placed into the wrong house? If that happened, everyone would treat me the same as always. Reject me without even knowing me. As I approached the chair, Professor McGonagall lifted the Sorting Hat and I sat down. She started to lower the hat onto my head but it never touched my head, only my hair, before it screamed: "GRYFFINDOR!" This caught me by surprise. The song said that Gryffindor was for the brave at heart, and that you needed chivalry, daring and nerve. Did I have _any_ of those things? I stood and walked over to the Gryffindor table. I recognized Hermione from the table and smiled at me. I figured I might as well smile back.

She slid to the left to give me some room to sit and I was welcomed into the group. "Welcome to Gryffindor." A carrot-top older boy said from across the table. This might go well…

Dinner was amazing. I hadn't had anything this good in a very long time. After the Headmaster—which I learned from Hermione that he was called Professor Dumbledore—finished speaking, the food appeared in the blink of an eye. I ate in silence. No one dared to speak to me, not after the Sorting Hat placed me in Gryffindor. Was I making that bad of a first impression on people? Although Hermione introduced me to a man with jet black hair, bright green eyes and a bolt shaped scar on his forehead named Harry Potter and to a man with fiery red hair, blue eyes and a freckled face named Ronald—Ron—Weasley, the supper was quiet.

Once finished, I stood up and left the Great Hall. I didn't bother to talk to anyone; they would probably never notice that I skipped out on all of their lovely dinner conversation. As I went up to the seventh floor, I approached the Gryffindor Common Room. A painting stood before the doorway.

"Password." The fat-lady in the painting asked.

"Bloody hell… I never got the password. Um…"

"Check your robe pocket." How in the world did this painting know about my pockets? And what did she mean by that? I looked inside the pocket of my robe to find a piece of paper… This day was officially freaking me out.

"How did you…?"

"You're new. Everyone has their passwords placed into their new robes." The painting explained.

"Wow… why wasn't I informed of this?" I asked, more to myself than to this overgrown painting. I opened the piece of parchment and it read _Sintect Tatrov_. Okay… this was a weird password. "This is quite… medieval but alright. _Sintect Tatrov_!" I said confidently.

The door swung open to reveal a small stone hallway. I walked through the doorway and found a cozy, red and gold painted, Common Room. It was the most wonderful place I had ever seen in my life. I twirled the room in delight. The fireplace warmed the room and the red couches made the room feel comfortable. There was a chess board at the far end of the room, close to the staircase, which I assumed led to the dorms. It was a good thing that it was co-ed since it felt like a normal magical school, but I was happy we had different dorms.

I went up the staircase and found myself in the Girls' Dormitory momentarily. The dormitory was as cosy as the Common Room. There was a fireplace in the middle of the room with red coloured beds circled all around. At the far side of the room was my luggage. I guess that was my bed. It was right beside the window. Perfect… As I approached my bed, Malco jumped on the bed and greeted me with a smile.

"How was supper?" He asked cheerfully.

"Dull. How did you know that I'd end up here?"

"That old hag dragged me here. I just waited."

"Don't call her that! She might be one of my teachers!" I warned him. "And besides, she knew something I didn't…"

"You might want to get your things settled. Tomorrow's your first day of school."

"Yeah, that should be…" I was cut short as I heard footsteps approach the door. "Lay low. Someone's coming." He copied his movements from the train and decided to lie on my bed. The door opened to reveal a curious Hermione.

"What are you doing here?" She asked as she approached me.

"Oh, just decided to check out the Common Room…" I lied.

"Do you like it?"

"It's cosy. Aren't you supposed to be at dinner?" I asked as I sat on the ground next to the window and nightstand.

"I noticed you left after you ate. Why'd you leave so early? Desert wasn't even served." She asked as she sat in front of me on the ground.

"I wasn't that hungry." Why did I keep lying to her? If she came to meet me, it probably meant she liked me. "Your friends don't like me, do they?"

"They need time to get to know you." She said with a smile. "They'll come around." _Yeah right_, I thought to myself.

"I'll take your word for it." I said as some of the girls started to fill in the dormitory. They seemed to be of all ages and they were getting ready for bed. Was it that late already?

"Well, I suppose we best be off to bed." She said as she got up and got her suitcases on the bed in front of me.

"Is that your bed?" I asked dully.

"And I imagine that's yours." She said playfully. "But yes, this is my bed. I suppose you should get ready. We have a big day tomorrow." She said and that was the end of our conversation. I obeyed and went straight to bed, even though I didn't sleep well that night. Nightmares had gotten the better of me these past few days and I awoke suddenly, sweat covering my forehead. But one good thing came out of all of this… I would start my first day of lessons today. What a joy.

**Well, here we go, my first chapter in the Harry Potter department. What did you guys think? I hope you liked it. Anyways, read my other chapters in Hell Hath Only Love and review for this chapter please:)**

**Bellacullenswan17**


	2. Mistakes

**Alright you Harry Potter fans, here's chapter 2:) Hope you like it. Read and review please:)**

**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter!!!**

Chapter 2

Mistakes

Hermione awoke moments later. She stretched and said: "Good morning." She looked at me and looked worried. "Are you alright? You look scared."

"Oh no, I just had a bad dream. I think it's time for me to get up anyways." I said as I rushed out of bed. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and took my wand out of my pocket. Hey, you never know what would happen during the night. Malco yawned and opened his eyes slowly. I shot him a warning glance, hoping he would get the hint that there were others in the room. He got the point. He meowed and waged his tail happily.

"I see your cat wants to play."

"Malco always wants to play early in the morning. Either that, or he wants breakfast." I explained as I placed my arm on the bed and Malco walked on my arm. I never felt any pain when he climbed my arm and lay on my head. He moved without any sound and he was as light as a feather.

"Here, let me help with that."

"It's alright; he likes a certain kind of food." I waved my wand towards the bed and in an instant, a bowl of Captain Kreg's Cat Emporium food. He licked his lips and jumped off of my head to dig into the bowl hungrily. "Slob…" I said playfully as I rolled my eyes. He looked at me angrily and returned to his food. I waved my wand around myself and in seconds, I was dressed in my robe.

Hermione copied my movements and she was dressed in seconds. "Shall we go downstairs?"

"What time is it?" I asked. I had completely forgotten about the time.

"We have an hour before classes."

"Well, alright. Well, you go on ahead. I'll meet you there." I hesitated. She shrugged and brought her bathroom supplies.

"Alright, I'll see you later." She said happily as she exited the Girls' Dormitory. I sat on my bed and covered my face with my hands. I looked around the dorm and found no one else in the room. Malco looked at me and he looked sympathetic.

"She seems to like you as a friend, Jamie."

"Once things start to go wrong, she'll just reject me like all the others…" I waved my wand at the empty bowl in front of Malco and it disappeared in seconds.

"Give her a chance. She might be different than the others."

"Didn't you tell me this yesterday?" This felt like déjà-vu.

"Maybe… You know I don't have a long memory!" He retorted, an edge of anger to his voice.

"Don't you get snippy with me, mister! I can ship you right back home if you want." I warned him playfully. He never liked it when I used that against him. I grabbed my bathroom supplies and headed towards the bathroom. "Be right back. And don't talk to anyone."

In minutes, I had brushed my teeth and I was presentable to go downstairs for breakfast. I petted Malco on the head before leaving to join all the Gryffindors for breakfast. As I went down the long moving staircases, three men were in my way and they wouldn't move. I tried to go around them but they only pushed me down some stairs. "Watch where you're going, loser!" A tall man with bleach blond hair rudely said as they went up the stairs. I looked at the color of their robes. It was green. I had learned last night that there were different colors for the four different houses. Red was for Gryffindor, yellow for Hufflepuff, blue for Ravenclaw and green was for Slytherin. These students obviously belonged to Slytherin. I got back on my feet and looked at my hands. More scrapes and bruises. But now, some of them started to bleed. I guess I just had to forget about it for now.

I hurried along to the Great Hall and found Hermione saving a spot for me at the table. I sat down next to her and she looked at my hands. I turned my palms so that they would face the table.

"What happened to your hands?" She asked worriedly.

"Just some Slytherin guys knocked me down the stairs. No big deal." I said as I grabbed a piece of toast and started nibbling the sides.

"Did one of them have blond hair with a nasty attitude?" Ron asked.

"Yeah…" Where was he going with this?

"Then you just met Draco Malfoy." Harry mentioned.

"Who the bloody hell is Draco Malfoy?"

"He thinks he's the most dangerous student here just because of his father. He's stuck-up and a coward." Harry explained; his tone showed his anger.

"You're lucky he just knocked you out of the way." Great… since when did my luck finally change?

"Well, I better be off. Don't want Snape to give me detention on my first day." Harry said as he stood up with Ron. They left the Great Hall and I couldn't help but feel responsible for their sudden departure.

"You've been down ever since the ride to Hogwarts. What's wrong?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, I guess it was just nerves. I'm… I'm still nervous for my first classes." I lied. I didn't know why Hermione was being this nice to me but… it felt nice.

"What are your classes for today?" She asked out of curiosity. I took a piece of parchment from my robe and opened it.

"Um… Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, Care for Magical Creatures and Divination." I told her.

"Well, one good thing about your schedule." She smiled at me. What was she thinking about?

"And what might that be?" Now, she was picking at my curiosity.

"We have Potions together. And Luna's in our class as well."

"Oh." Was all I could say before she stood from the bench.

"Well, I better get going. I'll see you in Potions class." She said happily before leaving. I watched her leave and I was now sitting at the table alone, nibbling on a stupid piece of bread. I wasn't hungry today for some reason so; I stood up and walked towards my first class.

DADA was interesting. Our teacher, Professor Snape, was quite the teacher. But not in a good way. His voice was very low and monotone, which was hard to follow, and he seemed impatient. No one wanted to get on his bad side.

Potions class was dull. I was an expert in Potions and the class was dragging on forever as we brewed our potions. Professor Flatworth was funny but he was just like Professor Snape. Monotone. He was probably in his fifties and would start snoozing at random moments. The students had to clap their hands hard just so he would wake up. But he knew what he was doing.

The day went by slowly but I was glad when I saw Hermione and Luna in Potions class. They smiled often at me and I smiled back, although I was hesitant at some points.

"How did you find your first day?" Hermione asked as we headed to the Common Room.

"It was… interesting." I couldn't find a better word to prove my dull day. I already had homework for my classes and if I wanted them done by tomorrow, I had to get to work right now.

"My sentiments exactly." We arrived at the painting and Hermione said the password. The painting swung open and we entered the empty Common Room.

"I'm going to go and meet Harry and Ron outside. You want to come?" She asked as we went up the stairs to put our books down.

"Actually, I should get started on my homework." I said. I knew Harry and Ron didn't like me. It showed on their faces.

"Alright. If you want to join us, we're by the water." She said as she placed her books on her bed and went down the stairs. I sat down on my bed and started on my homework. Malco came to sit beside me on the bed as I wrote my essay for DADA.

"Why didn't you go with Hermione?"

"I've got homework." I said, giving him an excuse.

"You're an excellent student. You can finish your homework in less than half an hour. What's the real reason you won't go?" He asked, trying to get me to spill.

"You're really starting to get on my nerves about this whole thing." I said, giving him one of my looks.

"It's my job." He said with a happy smile.

"Harry and Ron don't like me. I can see it in their eyes. They think I'm a weirdo." I admitted.

"Then try to show them you're something different."

"Oh yeah? And how am I supposed to do that? Face it Malco, no one wants to hang out with me." I returned my gaze towards my books. But Malco was right. In twenty minutes, I had almost done all of my homework. For others, it would probably take them more time.

"She does." He said as I closed my books and placed them in my bag. "She wants to get to know you. You know that."

"I know that Malco! But you know what happened to all the other schools I went to. A few days into the school year, things started to happen." I explained sadly.

"Have you ever thought that this year, everything might change?" He asked as he cuddled into my arm. I looked at him with sad eyes and he started petting me with his head.

"Yes, I have thought of that."

"Then go out there and go see her!" He ordered. I got up and looked outside. I could see them from my window. They were on a log by the water, laughing about something. Harry was beside Hermione on the log as Ron was standing in front of them. "They seem to be enjoying themselves." I said, more to myself than to Malco.

"Then join them." He said. He was now sitting on the edge of my bed. I turned my head towards him and he smiled a sympathetic smile at me. I smiled back and petted him on the head.

"Alright, I'll see you soon." I said as I started to walk towards the door. As I made my way down to the fields, I thought about Hermione and the others. I knew Hermione was nice and all, but what about Harry and Ron? Would they accept me like Hermione did? Only one way to find out… I made my way towards the forest towards the lake but I came across the same three Slytherin boys from the staircase. I remember Ron and Harry telling me that the boy with the bleach blond hair was Draco Malfoy. He was standing in the middle with a boy on each side of him. I walked towards them, hoping that they would step aside to let me pass. Unfortunately, they were blocking my path. I didn't want to cause any trouble, especially not now.

"Oh, it's you again." He said with a cold voice. His cold grey eyes were starring straight at me. I didn't like it.

"Sorry." I said as I tried to get passed them but they wouldn't budge. I wasn't one for violence.

"Trying to leave so soon? I saw you with the Sorting Hat yesterday, Karsson. Didn't have to say a single word, that Sorting Hat, and he already put you in Gryffindor. You don't belong there."

"And do you belong in Slytherin? Or was that merely luck on your side?" I asked sarcastically. When I was young, I didn't like to be bullied by Muggles. I couldn't use magic on those kinds of bullies, but I could defend myself easily against him.

"I wouldn't talk if I were you, you filthy Gryffindor." He started to take out his wand and waved it at me. I didn't even have the time to get mine out before he said: "_Silencio_!"

I tried to speak but no sound came from my voice. I couldn't believe he put a silencing spell on me! That ignorant Slytherin! I knew my wand was useless now because I had no voice.

"_Levicorpus_!" He said once again and my left leg was now being lifted in the air. I tried to squirm around and scream but nothing helped. He was walking towards the trees and I was following him while hanging in the air. I decided not to squirm anymore. There was no point in squirming anyway.

"Know your place here!" Draco said as he set my leg in a tree and I was now stuck. I was hanging upside down and my ankle was stuck in between two thick branches. I tried to twist and turn but my foot was stuck in place. "Have a nice night!" He said before leaving me here. I tried to reach for my wand but with as I moved around, it started to fall out of my pocket, eventually falling on the ground.

_Why did I ever follow Malco's advice?_ I thought to myself as I folded my arms to my stomach and hung there.

I don't know how long I was hanging there but when I heard Hermione's voice in the forest, my heart missed a beat. I tried to squirm around to move the leaves and the branches but they passed right under me.

"You're impossible Ron." She said as I tried to squirm around as much as possible. I can't believe they couldn't see me. I knew Draco didn't put an invisibility spell on me; there was no doubt about it.

"Did you lot hear that?" Ron asked as they started walking. They suddenly stopped a few feet away from me. I squirmed and hit the tree as much as I was capable without twisting my ankle. They finally turned towards the forest.

"Do you see that tree moving?" Harry asked as he approached the tree carefully.

"Don't get too close Harry! Who knows what's in there." Hermione pointed out. Of course she would say something like that. That's just her.

"I think I see someone." Harry said. He walked towards the tree and looked right at me. "Isn't it Jamie?" He asked. I guess he didn't know me well enough to know my name.

I saw Hermione walk towards him with Ron behind her and she looked shocked. "Jamie, what are you doing up there?!" She asked.

I tried to speak but no sound came from my mouth once more.

"Someone put a silencing spell on her." Hermione said as she took out her wand and waved it towards me. She didn't have to say anything as she waved her wand. In seconds, I felt something in my throat. I tried to speak and for once in I don't know how many hours, there was sound coming from my throat.

"Thank goodness… Could someone get me down please?!" I asked impatiently. I was tired of hanging upside down. Harry waved his wand around and the two branches moved aside and I fell quickly to the floor, making a wonderful face plant. It hurt.

"Owe… Gently next time." I said as I started to get up slowly. Hermione helped me up and started shaking the dirt off of my robe.

"Bloody hell, who put you up there?" Ron asked.

"Draco. I was going to see Hermione when they caught me in the fields." I explained.

"We told you to watch out." Ron said.

"You have to be more careful. Malfoy's not someone you want to mess with, unless you want to find yourself in the hospital wing." Harry informed me as he handed me my wand.

"Thanks for the tip. I think I'll just go back to the Common Room. I've been up in that tree for hours." I said as I went towards the school. I had a few leaves in my hair, but I didn't want to take them out. I walked slowly towards the castle but Hermione decided to accompany me, Harry and Ron not far behind.

As we approached the Common Room, I needed to go to the bathroom to get these stupid twigs and leaves out of my hair and clothes. I quickly made my way to the portrait and said the password. The painting opened and I rushed to the Girls' Dormitory. Malco saw me and walked to my side as I headed for the bathroom. Naturally, no one was in the dormitory so, I was able to talk to Malco with no worries. I closed the door behind me and put the silencing spell on the door.

"What happened to you?" He asked as he sat on the counter.

"I listened to you! That's what happened. I made the mistake to try and get a friend and I get put into a tree." I said angrily as I took the twigs and leaves out of my hair. I must say that there were a lot of them.

"By who?" He asked frantically.

"Draco Malfoy. Some rotten boy from Slytherin. Thinks he owns the place. He told me to know my place here." I said as I removed the last of the leaves on my clothes.

"Just forget him. He's nothing but a stuck-up snob." Malco said as he hopped off the counter and jumped on my shoulder.

"I'm done following your advice! Your advice just got me stuck in a tree for hours!" I angrily said. He didn't like that. I sighed and sat on my bed. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just… mad."

"It's alright Jamie. You know it's going to work out in the end." He said soothingly. He tried to pet me under the chin and it worked. I smiled and placed a hand on his head. Suddenly, Hermione came in the room and I looked at her.

"Are you alright?" She asked as she came towards me.

"Yeah, I am now. What time is it?"

"I was about to go down for supper. Do you want to come with me?" She asked with caring eyes. I guess she really did want to get close to me.

"Um… sure." I said as I placed Malco on the bed and went to join Hermione. We walked towards the Great Hall and she asked me the twenty-twenty questions. I answered them as honestly as I could but some… I couldn't exactly say. Some were a little too personal. As we walked into the Great Hall, Hermione spotted Harry and Ron already eating. We walked towards them but I saw Draco Malfoy looking towards me. He started laughing at me.

"Well, look who finally left the forest!" He teased. I couldn't take any more of this loon. I took out a small metallic ball from my pocket but Hermione wasn't following me. Since Draco wasn't paying attention to what was going on around him, now was the perfect time to put this into his food. I gave her a wink, pushed the activation button and threw the ball into Draco's food. It never made a sound as it made a _plunk_ into his food. Even if it would make one sound, they wouldn't hear it. Draco was laughing his head off. Hermione wasn't following the situation yet.

We sat down at the table and everyone seemed to look towards the Slytherin table. Harry and Ron looked at me and then back at Malfoy. "What are you planning to do Jamie?" Hermione whispered to me.

"Just watch him…" I said reassuringly. She turned her head towards Draco and I snapped my fingers. Suddenly, as Draco ate his food with a laugh, his food exploded in his face. Everyone started laughing at him and he was whipping his face with his cloth.

Hermione, Harry and Ron couldn't stop laughing. "How did you do that?" Hermione asked, still laughing.

"A little invention of mine…" I said as I took out another explosion bomb. "I'm a little wiz kid with the mechanics. With one snap of my fingers, you'll end up like… well like Malfoy over there." Hermione took it softly from my hand and looked at it. She seemed intrigued.

"Amazing…" She said as she gave it back to me and I placed it back into my pocket.

"Oh no… here comes Mister Stuck-up." Ron said and I just had to turn my head. Malfoy was coming towards the table.

"Why you filthy Gryffindor! You did this to me! Nobody makes fun of me!" He was fuming now.

I stood up and was right in front of him. He was half a head shorter than I was. That was a good thing. "Well, I just did." I said confidently. I don't know where I was getting this boost of confidence but it felt good. Especially against him.

He threw his right arm back and punched me right in the face. The impact of his fist to my face made me fall backwards and I landed with my back against the floor. Man, that guy had a good right hook…

"I told you before Karsson; know your place at this school." He said as he went back to his seat. I got up slowly and went back to my seat. My eye started to feel swollen as I ate my food. No one spoke to me as I ate. Even Hermione wouldn't say anything. She just kept giving me glances. I couldn't stand the silence anymore so; I stood up and left without a word.

I made my way to the Common Room once again but no one dared to look at me. Great… because of Draco Malfoy, my reputation was already trashed. As I decided to lie on my bed in the Girls' Dormitory, Malco was lying on my stomach, looking at my now blossoming black eye.

"Maybe I shouldn't give you advice anymore." He said.

"No, it's alright. As I said before, I was the one who made the mistake of trying to make some friends." I said as I looked at the ceiling.

"Man, he really gave you a shiner."

"Yeah, don't remind me. I'm calling it a night." I said as I crawled into bed and Malco made himself comfortable beside my head. I stared at the ceiling for a while before drifting into a nightmare. Maybe the next few days would go better than today… I would only hope.

**Alright everyone. So what did you guys think? Is it good enough to your standards? Please review to tell me:) **

**Bellacullenswan17**

14


	3. Pain

**Alright everyone, hope you like this story so far… Although the reviews are coming EXTREMELY slowly, I want you guys to be comfortable reading this story. So read away and review at the end please:)**

**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter!!!**

Chapter 3

Pain

The next few days passed easily. The day after Malfoy gave me that black eye was excruciating. My eye was blossoming and becoming a dark purple. Most people made fun of me but I just ignored it. Hermione suggested that I go see Madam Pomfrey about my eye but I just told her it would pass in a few days. And I was right. It did pass, turning from a dark purple to a light yellow in a matter of days.

A week and a half after school started, things got back to normal. My eye was back to normal, people were still ignoring me and Hermione was trying to be a good friend. One day, during Potions class, we were going to make a different kind of potion. Professor Flatworth wanted us to make a Memory Potion, which was quite difficult to make. I knew the procedure but Professor Flatworth sill wanted us to be very careful.

"Now class, this potion is supposed to be easily made, as long as you don't make mistakes. One of your ingredients will contain a baby Griffin's feathers. You must tranquilize it first, and then take four feathers from its wings. All of your other ingredients are placed on the tables. You have exactly one hour to make your potion effective and non-lethal. Good luck to you all." Professor Flatworth explained before everyone started on their work.

The Griffin was so adorable. Just sitting there and looking at you with those big round eyes. It was surprising to see the baby Griffin so calm in front of all these students. I would have figured that they were dangerous when confronted like this. But I guess not with these ones. There were many ingredients on the table. Hermione and I would have to share but there was enough for all of us. There weren't many ingredients but you had to mix them right just to make the potion work.

I started gently putting the ingredients in the cauldron. The textbook said to tranquilize the Griffin with the syringe and in three minutes, you had to remove the feathers. Once the Griffin wakes up, it wouldn't have realized what happened to him.

As I grabbed the syringe and looked at the baby Griffin, he smiled at me. I scratched him under the chin and he closed his eyes. I looked around the class and they were either plucking feathers from the already asleep Griffin or plunging the syringe carefully into its stomach.

"Ok, this won't hurt a bit, little guy." I comforted the baby Griffin before plunging the syringe into its stomach like everyone else. Suddenly, as I started to transfer the tranquilizing solution into the Griffin, it started acting up. It moved around so violently that it broke the needle in half. In an instant, it flew into the air and flew around the classroom. Everyone ducked under their tables but I was trying to understand the situation. What had gone wrong? I knew that I didn't do anything wrong. It was something in the solution that made him freak out.

"Miss Karsson, what is the meaning of this?!" Professor Flatworth asked as he ducked from the violent baby Griffin.

"I don't know! I followed the instructions to the letter!" I shouted as the baby Griffin squawked loudly. Suddenly, it saw me and started going towards me. I dodged it a few times but it was just coming back for more.

"Jamie, watch out!" Hermione screamed as the bird came again at me. Hermione hadn't touched her syringe and all of the other Griffins were scared. They flew out the open door and flew up the stairs.

That just gave me an idea. "Hermione, toss me that syringe!"

"What?!"

"I need to calm it down! Toss me the syringe! It's out of control!" I screamed at her. She didn't hesitate.

She threw me the syringe just as the ravenous bird dove towards me. I caught the syringe and as it sank its claws into my arms, I plunged the syringe right beside the neck. As I sank to the floor and brought a table down with me, the Griffin relaxed and went to sleep.

As I lay there on the floor, I started to feel extreme pain everywhere in my body. I didn't know what was wrong with me. I trembled and I could only stare in one direction. I couldn't move my body and my hearing had reduced. I could faintly hear Professor Flatworth talking to the other students, saying: "Everyone, class is dismissed." And I could feel hear the footsteps of the students exiting the room. "Miss Granger, Miss Lovegood, you should go too. I don't know what happened here with Miss Karsson but you should exit with the other students."

I gasped a few times and kept trembling under the table. Suddenly, someone lifted the table from on top of me and I heard someone gasp faintly. "Jamie!" I heard Hermione and Luna say in unison.

"Miss Karsson, can you hear me?" Professor Flatworth asked as he lifted the sleeping Griffin from my chest and placed a hand on my skin. His hand was so cold compared to my skin.

"What's happening to her?" Hermione asked in a low voice. I was starting to lose myself, and I didn't know what was happening. Something had gone wrong when that bird sunk his claws in my skin. What was in that syringe anyways?!

"I… I don't know." He stuttered. Even a Potions master couldn't figure out what was wrong. He touched my arm and touched the marks. "It looks like the bird poisoned her. We have to take her to Madam Pomfrey. Quick." Someone picked me up and suddenly, I felt sick. Now, I stared in front of me and I wasn't in Potions class anymore. It was a white room, filled with white hospital beds.

"Madam Pomfrey!" Professor Flatworth screamed. My eyes started to close on their own and my senses were shutting down quickly. Someone—I figured it was Professor Flatworth—placed me down on something soft and my trembling became stronger and stronger with each passing moment.

"What happened to her?!" I heard a woman's lovely voice ask, concern plastered in her voice.

"She's been poisoned. Can you help her?" Professor Flatworth asked.

"It'll take some work but she'll be back to normal soon. Here you go dear. It'll ease the pain." Madam Pomfrey said as she stuck something in my arm and it made me instantly tired. I closed my eyes involuntarily and drifted to sleep. Would I wake up the next time? I hoped so.

When I woke up, it was dark. My eyes fluttered slowly and I was in a hospital bed. I stood up slowly and looked around. _I don't remember arriving here..._ I thought to myself as I took in my surroundings. There were many white beds in this dark room, but I was the only patient. Great… As I looked around, I saw a woman enter the room, wearing a burgundy robe with a white nurse's hat. "Well, I see you're awake, Miss Karsson. How are you feeling?"

"Um… fine." I didn't know this woman. Why was she asking all of these questions? What happened to me? She stepped towards me and looked me over.

"Well, it seems you've cut it close."

"What happened?"

"You don't remember?" She looked at me worriedly. What did I say?

"Um… should I?" I asked hesitantly.

"Dear, you were poisoned by a baby Griffin in Potions class." God… I looked at my arms and there was bandages covering my muscles. Was I really that close to dying? Especially when I just started school? "Professor Flatworth apparated you here. It was almost too late."

"Well… that's funny. I don't remember anything." I scratched the top of my head, trying to dig through my memories. "I don't even remember anything from today."

"Actually dear, this happened yesterday. The poison must have erased some of your memory."

"Yesterday?" Man, I was way off.

"Yes, you've been asleep since yesterday morning." She informed me.

"What time is it, um…?"

"Madam Pomfrey and it is right before curfew." She said happily.

"Um… may I leave? Not that it's not comforting to be sitting here, but I just really hate being in… hospitals." I looked around. Yeah, this place was just creeping me out.

"Well, you'll have to take it easy for a little while." She informed me.

"Oh, I will. Trust me." I said as I got up from the bed and went towards the door.

"Um… Miss Karsson?" Madam Pomfrey asked before I touched the doorknob.

I turned towards her with a questioning look. "Yeah?"

"You might want to put on your robe before you leave." She said with a smile as she showed me my Gryffindor robe, tie and sweatshirt in her hand. I looked at myself and found that I was only wearing a white tank top and my school pants.

"Gah!" I said a little louder than intended. I ran over to Madam Pomfrey and grabbed my stuff. I walked away from her with an embarrassing smile on my face and ran out the door, screaming thanks over my shoulder.

As I placed my sweatshirt over my head, my upper arms started to sting a little. Maybe this whole poisoning situation wasn't helpful to my health. I was still able to make it to the Common Room without any questions being asked. Students were on their way to their Common Rooms as I went to the seventh floor.

As I approached the painting, the lady in the painting looked at me with a confusing look. "Well, look who's returned. I heard from the painting in the hospital wing that you were seriously ill." She said.

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you. _Sintect Tatrov_." I said and the painting swung open. As I entered the Common Room, I found it to be empty. _Everyone must already be in bed. _I thought to myself. I sat on the red couch and laid my head back.

"Ah… it sure feels good to take a break." I said to myself as I started to close my eyes.

"Jamie?" I heard a feminine voice say from upstairs. I opened my eyes, turned my upper body around and found Hermione coming down the wounding staircase. She was wearing her pyjama with cute little bunny slippers. They must be comfortable for her.

"Hermione?" I asked surprisingly. I got up and looked at her. She looked at me for a second and ran towards me. She hugged me so tightly that after a while, I couldn't breathe.

"Oh, thank goodness you're alive!" She said as she hugged me.

"Hermione… can't… breathe…" I said, out of breath.

She loosened her hold on me and stepped back. "Sorry. I'm just glad to see you breathing. How are you feeling?" She asked as she sat on the couch.

"Um… fine." I said hesitantly again. Did she know about all of this? "When did you find out?" I asked as I sat next to her.

"What do you mean?" She asked curiously. I guess she wasn't following me on this one.

"Well, the painting heard it from one of the paintings around the hospital wing but who'd you hear it from?" Was I already out of it?

"Jamie, I was there. I saw you trembling and turning white as a sheet." Well, that answers that. "It was horrible to see. Even Luna agrees with me."

"You… You were there?" I stuttered. How much did I miss?

"What do you remember?" She asked curiously.

"Well, last thing I remember is… Draco putting me in a tree."

"Jaime, that was two days ago!" She admitted shockingly.

"Really?!" I asked, surprised. "Well, I don't remember much… Maybe a good night's sleep will do me some good." I stood up and started going towards the staircase to the Girls' Dormitory. I went upstairs to find most of the girls already in bed. I approached my bed and Malco jumped right up at me.

"I know you're worried but don't you say a word until tomorrow. I'll explain everything tomorrow." I whispered to him. He was snuggling into my neck as I tried to move his paws from my upper arms. They didn't hurt as much as I would have expected but I placed him down as I sat on my bed.

"He was quite worried about you." Hermione said just above a whisper as she entered the room.

"I can imagine." I said as I grabbed a pyjama and waved my wand around my body and in an instant, I was out of my robe and into my comfortable pyjama. "Ah, feels good to be in something cottony."

"I wonder who could have switched that syringe… I know Professor Flatworth couldn't have just made a mistake like that." Hermione asked, more to herself than to me, as she crawled into bed.

"Who knows? Maybe he _did_ make a mistake. Or maybe it was just someone making some practical joke that went totally wrong." I said as I took out my small mp3 from the nightstand. Hermione looked at me curiously. "What?"

"Were your parents Muggles, by any chance?" She asked as she pointed to the small device in my hand as I crawled into bed myself.

"Um… no, actually. I don't remember my parents. My parents were killed by Death Eaters when I was five. I was adopted by Muggles four years later." I don't know why I was telling Hermione my personal life but… I was starting to ease around her. I mean, she was scared for me when I almost died yesterday. I wondered if she visited me in the hospital wing…

"I'm sorry I brought it up." She sounded sincere. Maybe there were decent people in this world.

"Nah, it's all good. You tend to get used to it after a while." I admitted as I laid my head back against the pillow and Malco came to snuggle into my sides. He could see the bandages that were stuck on my upper arms, which is why he didn't want to snuggle into my arms like usual. "Anyways, it's sort of nice being in a family that knows very little about magic."

"What do you mean?" She wasn't following me again.

"They only know that I'm going to different schools because they think something's wrong with me. That's all. They don't know that I'm constantly going to schools like Hogwarts to learn about my life." I explained.

"Where do they think you are now?" She asked.

"At some military school to get some discipline. They know that there's something wrong with me and I told them that I can't call them because of the laws there about order." I said as I looked at her.

"Quite influential, if you ask me."

"How so?"

"Well, if they think you're away somewhere, then it shows that you can influence them very well. My parents would never believe me if I told them something like that." She said with a smile as she turned her head towards the ceiling. I put one earplug in my ear and started listening to the last song playing on my mp3. _Bleeding Love_ by _Leona Lewis_. It was a slow song but very relaxing when you were going to sleep.

I started to close my eyes but suddenly, Hermione said something that sounded like "I'm glad you're alright." I opened my eyes abruptly and looked at her. She was still looking at the ceiling.

"What?"

She looked at me and smiled. "I said I'm glad you're alright." Oh, so I did hear right. "You really gave me a scare yesterday."

"Um… sorry?"

"It's not your fault. I would feel the same way if it was Harry or Ron. Or even Luna. I hate it when my friends' lives are in danger." She admitted. She seemed to be honest about this statement. "Just please, don't try to risk your life anytime soon."

"I'll try." I said with a chuckle at the end.

I closed my eyes once again and as the minutes passed, I drifted to sleep. As I thought about my sudden near-death experience, I thought of who could have done the switch between the syringes. I only knew one person who was against me for no reason, and that person was Malfoy. What he had against me, that was a mystery, but I was somehow positive that he was the one who did this to me.

_He'll be getting a mouthful of me tomorrow._ I thought as I drifted into a peaceful sleep.

**Ok, so what did you guys think? Review away to answer that question. Also, please read my two stories 'Hell Hath Only Love' and 'Reattaching a Broken Heart'.**

**Bellacullenswan17**

11


	4. Accusation

**Alright, so here's the next chapter for this story. Read and review people:)**

**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter!!!**

Chapter 4

Accusations

The next morning, I woke up slowly with a big smile on my face. As I got up, my arms weren't hurting anymore. The stinging sensation in my arm was gone and as my eyes started to flutter open, I could see that no one, not even Hermione, was in the Girls' Dormitory. I figured now Malco would want to talk to me.

I sighed and decided, since he was awake and looking at me, that now was the time to talk to him. "Alright, you can tell me what's on your mind." I said mechanically.

"Why is it, that after a few days into the school year, you almost get yourself killed?!" He asked roughly.

"Ok, don't blame me. I have nothing to do with it. I followed orders and I wound up in the hospital wing." I said as I got out of bed and waved my wand around again to get changed fast. I was surprised at how my memory had changed during the night. I could remember more about the incident this morning than yesterday.

"Then who did it?!" He asked as I was now fully dressed and rolled up my sleeves so I could take the bandages off.

"I don't know! I'm still trying to figure that out." I explained as I finally reached my bandages.

"I don't think you should take those off yet." He warned.

"And why not?"

"Because, you don't know if they're fully healed yet! Just wait a few days." Malco said as he climbed onto the nightstand and looked at me with his cute silver eyes. I never saw a cat with silver eyes… or heard a cat talk.

"You know, for a pet, you do nag a lot." I said as I took the bandages off and looked at the damage. It was only four mere dots on each of my upper arms. I was surprised that the scars were that small.

"Just be careful." He said.

"I'll try." I said as I exited the dormitory and headed down the small stairs. I headed to the Great Hall slowly and no one bothered to push me down or say a word to me. I entered the gigantic room and found Hermione sitting next to Ron and Harry. I crossed the room but someone tapped my shoulder from behind. I jumped up and turned abruptly to find Luna looking right at me. "Oh God! Luna, don't scare me like that."

"Sorry. Just thought it would be a good idea to scare you, since you scared us yesterday."

"Um… thanks, I think." I asked hesitantly.

"Are you feeling better?" She asked with her sweet face.

"Yeah, I am actually. Thanks for asking." I smiled at her. Well, Luna seemed to be acting the same way as Hermione. Caring and friendly. I liked this new school.

"I best be going. I need to eat before we start classes, which seems to be quite soon." She said as she went towards the Ravenclaw table.

"See you later." I said, more to myself than to her, since she was already sitting down next to some girl I didn't know. The girl looked at Luna weirdly and slightly moved away from Luna. That was rude. I went to sit in front of Hermione and she seemed happy to see me up and walking normally.

"Well, look who's up and walking." Ron said with the occasional grin.

"Is everybody aware of my little mishap the other day?!" I asked as I raised my arms in utter frustration.

"Sorry mate, but it's gossip. It flies everywhere."

"Bloody hell…" I groaned in defeat.

"So, who do you think did it?" Harry asked curiously as he leaned on the table.

"I bet it was Malfoy." Ron said.

"How do you know?" Hermione asked.

"He's always getting us into trouble or ruining our lives. I think it's obvious who's at fault here." Ron explained.

"Or, it could have been my own fault." I interjected.

"Excuse me?" Hermione asked surprised.

"Well, think about it. I could have accidentally taken the wrong syringe and plunged it into that poor baby bird. It could have been my own fault." I explained and on my behalf, it sounded quite reasonable.

"You can't blame it on yourself." Hermione said.

"And why not? I mean, it's logical." I commented defensively.

"Not really. Professor Flatworth was the one who placed the potion ingredients on the table before we arrived. He couldn't have just replaced a vile of tranquilizer for no reason. And besides, Professor Flatworth didn't have any idea of what happened." Hermione explained. No wonder she was the smart one…

"Well, alright. Maybe I'm not one to blame, but we can't just go and make random accusations without having the facts." I commented as I started nibbling on a piece of toast again.

"Then what _are_ the facts?" Harry asked. "Because I don't see any other suspects besides Malfoy." I guess he _really_ didn't like Malfoy, which I completely understood.

"Well, why don't we just ask him?" I asked.

"Bloody hell, you're kidding right?" Ron asked with a light chuckle. What was wrong with what I just said?

"Um… should I be?" I asked hesitantly.

"You're not going to get anything out of Malfoy, except being put in a tree again." Ron explained with a laugh.

"Hey! Don't bring that up again. That wasn't my fault. I was trying to make friends. It's hard being the new kid…" I said as I crossed my arms and leaned on the table.

"You don't have many friends, do you?" Harry asked out of the blue.

"No."

"It takes time. When Harry, Ron and I started being friends, it was after a troll came after me in the girls' bathroom." Hermione explained.

"A troll wanted to kill you? Why?"

"Because our first DADA teacher sent it to try and get rid of Harry." Ron explained.

"Man, you've had it rough." I said.

"It's not the first time. It happens constantly. Every year, someone tries and kills us." Harry said.

"Last year, it was a dragon, the Black Lake and You-Know-Who who tried to kill Harry during the Tri Wizard Tournament." A man with carrot coloured hair like Ron's said on my right side. I turned to face him and he looked exactly like Ron, only older.

"Fred, don't go into details." Another man with carrot coloured hair said. He looked exactly like Fred.

"Who are you two?" I asked dumbly.

"Fred and George Weasley, at your service." They both said at the same time. I couldn't even tell them apart. But they looked a lot like Ron.

"We're twins." Fred said. _How can someone tell you apart?_ I thought as I tried to find a difference between the two of them. I couldn't.

"I can see that." Was my best response.

"It was quite the year." Fred—or was it George—said with a grin. I looked closely at the both of them, to try and tell them apart. It was quite the challenge. I looked at their faces; maybe that would be the clue to verifying which twin was which.

I looked at their hair. Cut exactly the same… Their eyes; identically light brown. Noses—I know, I'm going far fetch with this one—Eureka! I found the link! Their noses. The one sitting next to me, which was Fred, had a perfectly nice nose but his brother George had a little bump up towards the top of the nose. It was really hard to see but… oh who am I kidding! I would never tell them apart!

"Are you trying to figure us out?" The one closest to me asked.

"Yes. And it's hard." I said as I gave up.

"You'll figure us out sooner or later." The one farthest from me said with a smile.

"Oh, will I?" I asked sarcastically.

"Yep." They both said in unison.

"Don't take it the wrong way. They're like that every day." A woman with long carrot coloured hair said. I figured she was a relative of Ron's. She extended her hand towards me with a smile. "I'm Ginny Weasley."

"Nice to meet you. Um… exactly how many siblings does Ron have?" I asked as I shook her hand.

"We're a total of seven in the family." She explained.

"Man… big family." I commented. "Well, I better get to class. See you later." I started to leave but then, I stopped right behind Fred—or George—and said with a smile: "Don't you worry, I will figure out the difference between the two of you."

And I was confident about that. I would find a difference and I would do it soon. As I went to my classes, it was quite dull. Only when I entered Transfiguration that things got interesting. I didn't notice that Malfoy was in my class with his two lackeys, which I learned recently that they were named Crabbe and Goyle. I looked at him and tried to puzzle this whole "syringe" business. Could Malfoy have really done it?

"Well, seems like Karsson doesn't know how to die properly!" Malfoy shouted across the class and most of the students in the class laughed. I looked at him with a death glare. He laughed out loud as he looked at me with an evil glare. _Just wait until I get you after class._ I thought as I took my seat.

As class went on, I could feel someone looking at me the whole time. I turned my head from time to time and found Malfoy looking at me with an evil grin. He definitely had something with this… I turned my head around to face the class but something hit me in the back of the head and fell into my hair. I scratched my hair and found the crumpled ball of paper. I took it out and opened it to reveal a moving drawing. It was supposed to illustrate me being attacked by a very large bird and dying seconds later, over and over again.

_Not very creative, if you ask me._ I thought as I smoothed the paper out on the desk and started drawing above his little unimaginative drawing. I wanted Professor McGonagall to believe that I was also paying attention to her class so; I lifted my head a few times to pay attention. I hoped it worked. I wanted him to get the message that he couldn't try and scare me. I tried to scare him. I drew me on top of Malfoy, beating him silly and he was bleeding all over—although I could never beat someone like that in real life. I had to write one more thing, just to scare the pants off of me.

**Don't mess with me.**

I wrote it in bold so that he would get the memo. Then, I folded the paper into very small pieces and passed it along to the girl behind me and told her to pass it to Malfoy. After a while of the whole passing notes game, Malfoy finally got the note I had sent back. He looked at me with an evil grin and opened the note. Once he opened it, when he saw the picture at the top of the picture, he seemed shocked. He didn't like what he saw. His face turned as white as a sheet when he saw himself in the picture. I grinned at him and returned to the lecture.

When class ended half an hour later, Malfoy was the first to leave without his lackeys. Surprising. As I left the class right behind him, he seemed to run at a fast pace. He didn't want to stand close to me. I walked right up to him and grabbed his shoulder and turned him around. As I looked right into his face, I saw fear. I ran him into one of the walls around this school and held him there.

"Did you switch my syringe with a poisonous one in Potions class?" I asked him as he gasped repeatedly out of fear.

"Get off of me, you filthy Mudblood!" He screamed at me. That caught me off guard.

"What'd you call me?!" I asked furiously.

"I heard about your parents! You've been living with filthy Muggles!" He spat at me. He didn't know the whole story… Those were only my adoptive parents he was talking about. And where did he hear that?

I pushed him harder against the wall and looked at him with daggers. "That's none of your concern who my parents are! Now, I'll ask you again. Did you switch my syringe in Potions class?" I asked him coldly.

"I didn't, but I wish I had!" So he wasn't the one who did it. Then… who did? I let go of him and he just ran away like a coward.

"You better watch it Karsson!" He screamed as he ran away.

_Well, who could have done it?_ I thought to myself as I went to my next class. I couldn't concentrate on my lessons. All I could think about is this whole situation. But why was it bothering me so much? Maybe it was just an accident. As I walked to the Common Room after my classes, Hermione was working on her homework with Ginny, Ron and Harry. They looked up at me and I just lifelessly sat on the couch next to Hermione.

"What's eating you?" Ron asked.

"I don't know why this is bugging me so much!" I doubled over and placed my head in my hands.

"You're not making any sense mate." Ron said again.

"It's eating me that I'm trying to find the culprit for this stupid Potions thing. And by the way, it's not Malfoy." I commented.

"And you know this how?" Harry asked.

"Let's just say I had a face to face with him." I explained as I shrugged back into the couch.

"And? What did he say?" Ron asked.

"He said he didn't do it." I said honestly.

"He might be lying to you." Harry warned.

"What are you talking about?" Apparently, Ginny wasn't following us.

"Didn't anyone tell you the story?" I asked surprised.

"Um… no." Ginny said.

"Someone switched an ingredient in Potions class and it sent Jamie to the hospital wing. We're thinking Malfoy did it." Harry explained as he looked Ginny right in the eyes.

"Oh, well it could be him." Ginny said.

"How do you know he wasn't lying to you?" Hermione asked.

"You should have seen him. The coward had fear in his eyes after Transfiguration class." I explained.

"What'd you do to him?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing! He sent me a note in class and I just wrote something back… It was… nothing big." I hesitated. It wasn't totally a lie. "I also talked to him after class."

"Talked, or threatened?" Ron asked with a grin.

"Talked! With a hint of threat…" I said as I demonstrated with my fingers the small amount of threat.

"Well, if you scared him off like that, then you must have done something!" Hermione said.

"Well, the point is, he said 'I didn't but I wish I had'. That's what he said." I explained. "I don't know if he was lying or not, but he sure looked convincing."

"You might want to be careful." Ginny said. "You might have just been lucky this time." She started to gather her books and left the Common Room.

"Where's she off to?" I asked as I pointed to the door.

"Probably off to go see Dean." Hermione said. "They make such a good couple."

"I don't know what she sees in him." Ron said angrily as he looked away from us.

"Acting all brotherly, are we?" I asked as I started my homework. He didn't seem too happy about the whole Ginny thing. "You're not enjoying your sister being with some other guy, are you?"

"I don't care who she snuggles with." Ron said defensively.

"Sure you don't…" I said with a little laugh. Hermione and Harry joined in the joke and started laughing as well. We did our homework without a word but surprisingly, I finished before Hermione. She was shocked and wanted to check my homework. She didn't see one mistake in my essay.

"Impressive…" She said with a disapproving glance. What did I do? I picked up my stuff and decided to get Malco and take a walk. He lay on my shoulder and didn't say a word until we got to the beach. I sat on the ground against a log and looked at the gentle waves.

"Did you have a good day?" Malco asked as the silence grew stronger.

"Depending on your definition of good." I said.

"Ok, sounds like a no."

"I'm stressing over nothing. It was a freak accident." I said mostly to myself.

"What are you talking about?"

"This whole Potions class thing. I'm thinking that Malfoy did it but on the other hand, there's a part of me that thinks that he didn't do it." I explained.

"Just forget about it. It'll pass." He said as he snuggled into my neck.

"I hope so. I'm tired of all of these problems." I said as I stared back at the water.

"Think of it this way. Quidditch tryouts are next week. You should get ready. Aren't you going for one of the Chasers positions?" He asked happily.

"Yeah, I have a one in three chances to get the spot. With my luck, I might not even get it."

"Just give yourself a chance."

"We'll just see about that." I said as I got up and went towards the castle. But he was right. I did have Quidditch tryouts to worry about and I wanted to be on the team. I would just have to see…

**Alright, so here is this chapter. Hope you guys like it:) Now please review:) Haven't gotten any reviews yet for this story… But I'm not giving up!**

**REVIEW!!!**

Bellacullenswan17

12


	5. Tryouts

**Alright everyone, here's the next chapter for this story. Enjoy and review PLEASE!!! **

**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter!!!**

Chapter 5

Tryouts

A week passed and it was restless. All this time, I kept thinking about what happened in Potions class a week ago. Also, Hermione made many attempts at finding the culprit of my 'near-death' experience last week. But the one thing I had to worry about was Quidditch tryouts. At my last school, I had made the team because there weren't enough people who tried out. Now, I had to give it my all to join the team this year.

Harry was going to try out for the seeker position and Fred and George were going for the beaters positions. I was trying out for one of the chaser positions. I didn't have much experience but in time, I would probably learn a lot.

The morning of the tryouts, I got out of bed early. I wanted to get a little training before going to the Quidditch pitch. I got out of bed without waking Malco up—which was a success—and changed into some sports clothes. In minutes, I was dressed and ready to go for a jog. As I grabbed my mp3, I saw Malco, sleeping like an angel. I smiled and whispered in his ear: "I'm going for a jog. Don't talk to anyone."

Then I was off. I went down to the waterfront and started jogging. It was quite humid outside. As I ran, I thought about this new school and my new friends. I had never thought that I could make friends this easily. Hermione was trying to make study plans with me and Luna was asking me to go Wrachspurts hunting—which was quite weird but I would go along with it—tomorrow. Although I didn't know what a 'Whrachspurt' was, I would go for the sake of keeping my only friends.

The wind in my sweat-filled face felt good as I jogged. I closed my eyes to feel the goodness of this school. Suddenly, something hit me in the shoulder and I fell, face first, to the stony ground. At least my arm protected my face. I opened my eyes and turned my head to face what had hit me. The first thing that caught my eye was a flock of dark blond hair. It was a someone who crashed into me, not a something.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" The person said faintly. It was a man. He lifted his head and I saw a beautiful man. This man's shaggy dark blond hair went right down to his shoulders and revealed his beautiful light brown eyes.

I took my earplugs out of my ears and looked him right in the face. "Sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going." I said as I stood up and removed the dirt from my body. I looked my arm over and saw it bleeding slowly.

"Yeah, you weren't… But I didn't exactly see you myself." He said as he came towards me slowly. He was slightly taller than I was. I'd say he was about five foot nine or five ten. "Are you alright?" His voice was incredible. Soft and manly. Why was I falling for a guy I just met? Although he was incredibly adorable, I couldn't get attracted like that. It was shallow of me.

"Just fine. Sorry for bumping into you." I said honestly. I needed to get away from this guy before my thoughts would go to mush! I can't get involved. I already have friends that might dump me anytime soon so; I can't get involved with someone. "I'd best be off. Sorry again." I said as I started running. I placed my earplugs back in my ears and started running faster.

I decided not to look back. If he was smart, he'd start running in his normal direction again. But, with my dumb luck, he was running with me. I ran faster but he just followed. He ran right past me and stopped in front of me, stopping me dead in my tracks. "You're persistent, I'll give you that." I admitted as I took out one earplug. He was stopping me right in the middle of my favourite song! He better have a good reason to keep following me.

"You can't just leave without telling me your name." He said as he extended his arms on his sides, the way someone would open their arms for a hug.

"Jamie. Happy?" I asked as I stepped to the right and he mimicked my movements. Was he trying to stop me? "What is with you?"

"What's the matter with you?"

"Well, let's see. You're stopping me from running."

"No. I want to try and get to know you."

"Trust me; I'm not someone you want to know." I said, a little louder than intended since I still had my earplug in my ear. _Nickelback_ was playing and I couldn't even enjoy it. I stepped to the left and he mimicked me again. "Ok, your little joke is not really funny. Move out of my way." I said as I tried to push him away. It wouldn't work.

"I'm Daniel Stromb." He said in his incredible voice.

"Well, nice to meet you Daniel. Now move." I tried to get him to move again. It didn't work again.

"Oh, come on. Is it that hard to have a conversation with me?" Again, he extended his arms to defend himself.

"If I'm in a hurry, then yes."

"Is there a certain reason why you won't talk to me?" He asked. Why was he so persistent? I'm not that interesting of a girl.

"I told you. I'm not someone you want to get to know." I tried to move again. But he was always stopping me. What was up with this guy?

"Then it makes me all the more curious about you. I want to get to know you."

"Fine. I'm fifteen and in Gryffindor. There. You know something about me." I said as I twirled around him and started running. I finally escaped him. I placed my earplug back in my ear and ran towards the castle with a smile.

As I arrived to the Common Room to get a well deserved shower, I noticed Hermione sitting on the red couch, writing an essay. I checked my wrist watch and it read seven oh-six. "Do you always start your homework this early?" I asked as I walked towards her.

She jumped up on the couch and turned her head. She wasn't expecting me. "Sometimes. Do you always get up this early?" She asked with a smile.

"When I have important tryouts, yes." I said as I walked towards the stairs.

"Is there a reason why you're smiling?" She asked as she got up and faced me.

"I'm smiling?" I didn't even know I was acting so happily. "I didn't notice. Some guy was blocking my path while I was running this morning. I think he was hitting on me." I explained before I went upstairs.

"And who might this be?" She followed me to the Dormitory. She was interested.

"Some guy named Daniel Stromb."

"Not surprising, if you ask me." She sat down on her bed as I grabbed my robe and bathroom supplies. I turned towards her and stared at her curiously.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, a little defensively.

"Daniel likes to snuggle with every girl in this house."

"Wait, he's a Gryffindor?" I asked numbly. I should have figured. He has the courage to make everyone around him angry.

"Yes." She said flatly.

"Bloody hell… Maybe a shower will get my head straight. Besides, I've got Quidditch tryouts to worry about." I said as I entered the bathroom. In minutes, I had taken my shower and was in my robe. Surprisingly, when I was out of the bathroom, Hermione was petting Malco. "I see you forgot your homework."

"I didn't forget. I decided to wait until you finished your shower. I suggest we go to breakfast." She said as she got up and I followed her. As we went down the stairs, someone was walking into the Common Room. I took a closer look at the person entering and it was Daniel. Oh bloody hell…

"Well, good morning ladies." He said with his incredibly irresistible American accent.

"Hi Daniel." Hermione said as we passed him.

"Put some ice on your arms, Jamie. It'll help." I didn't respond.

I walked so fast out of the Common Room that Hermione couldn't keep up with me. "What did he mean by that?" Hermione asked.

"He bumped into me and my arms got scrapped on some stones. That's all." I said as I walked away. She had to jog just to catch up with me. "I'll put get ice after practice. There just scratches."

"Is it painful?" She asked as she finally caught up with me.

"No. I get used to these kinds of pains. But I think I'm going to skip breakfast. I need to focus on the tryouts."

"I admit, they are quite difficult, but I assure you it will pass quickly if you stop thinking about it." She said as I stopped and turned to face her. We were at the tip of the moving staircases.

"Well, I want to get the spot. Badly." I admitted as I walked down the stairs and went towards the Quidditch pitch. There was one thing I had forgotten in my room. My broom. My adoptive mother had given it to me as a present, even though it was a very old broom. It worked fine but, as I said before, it was very old. I ran all the way back to the Common Room. Unfortunately, on my way back, I ran into Malfoy. Great… there were two men I despised in this school. The first was Malfoy and the other, Daniel.

Malfoy was trying to get in my way. Was everyone trying to get on my nerves today? "Out of my way, Malfoy." I angrily said as he stood in front of the painting to the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Crabbe and Goyle heard your little mishap with Stromb. I suppose a filthy Mudblood like you doesn't have the beauty to have a mate." He added smugly. I couldn't take any more of his nasty remarks so; I grabbed the front of his shirt and brought him inches from my face.

"Now you listen here. I don't care what anyone says about me. So, you better step off or I'll make you step off." I said roughly. He didn't like being threatened by anyone, it showed plainly on his face. "Get it?"

"You think you scare me, Mudblood?" He was really getting on my nerves with the whole Mudblood situation.

"I'm not a Mudblood, for your information." I stated as I let go of his shirt and went towards the Common Room. I knew the painting wouldn't let me in if a Slytherin was around. I eyed Malfoy but he still hadn't moved. "Well, what are you waiting for? Get out of here!"

"You're trying to fool me."

"Trust me; fooling an idiot like you isn't hard." I said as I whispered the password to the painting—so low Malfoy couldn't even hear me—and surprisingly, the painting swung open to reveal the Common Room. I hurried up the stairs to grab my broom from the closet and ran back downstairs and out the Common Room in a mere five minutes.

I ran to the Quidditch pitch and everyone was there. Man… I was going to be late. I ran over to the Quidditch pitch and met up with Harry, Fred and George. "Finally showed up?" Harry asked with a mocking smile.

"Hey, I was here before all of you! I just had to get my broom."

"Such a ratty old thing." I imagined Fred said. I had noticed something about the twins.

"Don't bash my broom. I got this as a present." I exclaimed as I started getting my suit on. I was mostly putting on protective patting but it took a while to get it all on. After I finished dressing up, I felt like I gained a solid twenty pounds.

"Alright, I'm the captain, Oliver Wood and welcome to the tryouts." A man with a commanding presence and a maniacal look in his eyes said. I would have believed he was the captain of this team. He looked the part. He had determination plastered all over his face and leadership, something I wish I had. "Now, get on your brooms and get to your places. We'll be starting the tryouts once everyone's in place. I wish everyone their best and even if you made the team last year, it doesn't mean you'll make it this year." The captain explained as he got on his broom. Everyone followed his movement and in seconds, we were all in the air, flying on our brooms.

"First, we'll see how the Chasers fair out." The captain had the Quaffle under his arm and flew in the middle of the crowd. In seconds, he had the Quaffle in hand and threw it in the air. I was the fasters to snatch the Quaffle and flew towards the hoops. "Good, good! Now, someone try to snatch the Quaffle away from her." Oliver screamed as I flew towards the hoops. I looked behind me for a second and I saw three Chasers trying to get the Quaffle away from me. I flew faster to avoid them but, out of nowhere, a Chaser kept up the pace with me. I looked at the Chaser and she locked her gaze with mine.

"She's determined; I'll give her that." I said to myself as the Chaser flew to my side. I did a loop to the left and she flew right by me. "Sucker…" I said again as I flew right at in front of the hoops and jumped from my broom. The only thing I was good at, when I was alone at the gym in Charlotte, North Carolina, was playing volleyball. Maybe I could use my abilities in that sport and portray it in Quidditch. As I jumped from my broom, I brought the lower part of my legs to my behind and brought my right arm backwards. My left hand threw the Quaffle lightly in the air and I spiked the ball and it was shot rapidly through the top hoop. If this was a match, I would have just made ten points for our team. Luckily, my broom was right under me when I started falling again. I flew towards the crowd and the captain seemed impressed.

"Impressive, rookie." He said as he looked at me with that determined face. "Let's see how you do with a keeper in front of the goals. I want to see one keeper on each side of the pitch." The captain ordered. There were two keepers trying for the spot. Unfortunately, on a Quidditch team, there was only one keeper. One of them wouldn't get the spot. As they took their spot, the Chaser who tried to get the Quaffle from me earlier had it this time. She flew towards the hoops and threw the Quaffle at the keeper.

The Quaffle was caught easily. "Ok, let's try it again. Rookie!" Oliver's gaze went to me. I believed that was my new nickname now… I looked at the captain and he was smiling at me. "Rookie, give it a shot."

"Um… alright." I said as a Chaser threw the Quaffle towards me and I caught it confidently. I flew towards the keeper and he was ready to catch the Quaffle. He underestimated me… I smiled and threw the ball inches above my head. My body was facing towards the keeper, which is what I wanted the keeper to believe. Before serving the Quaffle through one of the hoops, I turned my body to the last minute towards the left hoop and served it. The keeper couldn't get to the Quaffle in time. It _whoosh_ed through the hoop. "Yes!" I said to myself happily.

"Very good. Now, I've seen enough from the chasers. Chasers, you're free to go." The captain announced. All the Chasers started to go lower themselves to the field and get off of their brooms. Since I was done with the tryouts, I took off my protective patting. "I'll post the winners on the notice board in the next few days." The captain said before I walked off the Quidditch pitch.

Well, this was quite the turnout. I believed I had done quite well but I would have to see who made the team in the next few days. I would just see if my efforts would have been made for something.

**Alright people, review!!!**

**Bellacullenswan17**

10


	6. Challenges

**Alright guys, enjoy this chapter. PLEASE REVIEW!!! I HAVEN'T GOTTEN ONE REVIEW YET!! I'M DESPERATE!!!**

**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter!!!**

Chapter 6

Challenges

In only two days, the new roster for the Gryffindor Quidditch team was up. Harry, Fred, George and I had rushed from the Common Room the moment we found out about the listing. The notice board was posted in the Great Hall, right beside the doors. I was the first to arrive at the notice board. "You're a quick one Jamie." Fred mentioned.

"Thanks Fred." I said with a smile.

"I'm not Fred. He's Fred." Fred pointed towards his twin. I wasn't buying it. "I'm George."

"Not buying it, Fred. I figured you guys out." I answered confidently. I was proud of myself for discovering the truth behind Fred and George Weasley.

"Oh yeah, Karsson?" Fred asked.

"Is that so?" George asked soon afterwards with a grin.

"And what might that be?" They both asked in unison.

"I'm not telling! You guys will just change your ways because I figured you out." I answered angrily. I looked at the list and saw that Fred and George had been selected to be the Beaters for the team. "Congrats twins. You just made the team."

"Sweet." They both said, again in unison.

"Harry, you made it too. You're the Seeker." I announced as I looked through the list.

"Yes!" He said happily. I didn't look at him as he declared his happiness. "But what about you?"

I looked through the list of Chasers and, of my own surprise; I opened my mouth in shock. "I… I made it. I'm one of the new Chasers!" I exclaimed. I didn't think that I would have made it this far. I turned to face them and they looked ecstatic. They were already happy that they made the team but now, they were even happier.

"Congrats, Jamie. Now, we'll have to see your real skills on the field." Fred commented as he crossed his arms.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked curiously, and a little annoyed. He was killing my buzz.

"Well, all that fancy flying two days ago mustn't be all you've got." George admitted with a grin.

"Oh, you think so carrot-tops? Well, you might be right. We'll just have to see." I said as I started to leave the Great Hall. They all followed me. As we made our way back to the Common Room, we saw Hermione and Ron coming down the stairs. They seemed in a hurry. "Whoa, slow down there. What's the rush?"

"Have they posted the roster yet?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, it's up." Harry said.

"Harry, don't play with us. Do you make the team?" Hermione asked.

"Yes. In fact, we all did." Fred announced.

"Congratulations!" Hermione said happily as she hugged everyone, including me. "When is the first match?"

"Against Slytherin in two weeks." I specified. "We should be ready by then." I started to make my way up the stairs but Hermione and Ron wouldn't let me.

"And where do you think you're going?" Luna asked as she came down the moving staircase to stand beside Hermione. I was surprised that the moving staircase was big enough to fit three people on one stair.

"To get some rest."

"No, you're not. We have to celebrate." Hermione said joyfully.

"Celebrate what exactly?" I asked sceptically.

"We have to celebrate this occasion. And besides, it's almost Thanksgiving." Hermione explained as she took my hand and she descended the stairs in a hurry. Everyone followed behind us.

"Where are we going exactly?" I asked as she tugged on my arm.

"Hogsmeade." Ron said.

"To get a butterbeer, probably." Harry said from behind me. I never tasted a butterbear but I figured I might as well follow. Hermione could dislocate my shoulder if she pulled any harder.

As we took our butterbeer, we chatted about everything and anything. Fred and George were mentioning about their dream to open a prank shop at the end of this year. It was nice to hear everyone having the time of their lives, especially as a group. I was laughing and having fun, which was coming as a shock to me. I hadn't laughed this hard with someone for many years. I was glad to have good friends like this.

The day before our big match against Slytherin, the Gryffindor team was working extra hard. The Chasers had to train even harder than the rest of them, since we were the ones who had to score the points before Harry could catch the snitch. At the end of the training session, I couldn't even stand up anymore. But after a few days, you started to get used to the physical pain.

After practice that day, I felt confident that we would win tomorrow. I went back to the Common Room to take a shower but I ran into Mr. Annoyance. "Bloody hell…" I said as I passed right by him.

"Your team won't stand a chance against Slytherin tomorrow." Malfoy mocked in the hallway. I had enough of Malfoy. If he said another comment like that again, I would have to do something. I decided not to say anything. I walked in the Common Room and there stood Mr. Obnoxious.

"Ah, Jamie. What a surprise." Daniel said from the corner of the room. Apparently, he was playing Wizard Chess with himself.

"Not really. This is the way to the Girls' Dormitory." I said as I walked towards the round staircase. He stood up and walked with me. Before I took a step on the stairs, I turned towards him.

He was just standing there with a big smile on his face. "Hello." He said with his obnoxious smile. What was up with this guy?

"Look, I know what you do." I informed him, my tone showed anger and authority.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He said innocently.

"That's bullocks. I know you hit on every girl in Gryffindor. And if I'm one of them, then you better back off, pal. I'm not a part of your little games." I admitted. He wasn't going to try and get to me like everyone else. "Get it?"

"You're smart, I'll give you that." He said.

"No, I was informed." I said as I turned around and went up the staircase. I went towards the Girls' Dormitory but he took my wrist. I faced him and he was looking sympathetic. Although, there was something different about him this time. His hair was black. Whoa… a minute ago, it was dark brown, just like that time we were running close to the waterfront.

"Look, I might be a player, but when I like someone, I go for it. And, I want to get to know you." He admitted.

"What a bunch of lies! I'm not falling for that. I'm not a prize." I opened the door to the Girls' Dormitory and I knew he couldn't follow me. I went for a quick shower and the moment I got out, Daniel was still standing in the exact spot I had left him minutes ago.

"You sure take a short shower."

"Might I ask what the bloody hell you want from me?" I asked irritated. I walked right past him again and went down the stairs and headed towards the door. He still followed me.

"I told you before; I want to get to know you." Daniel explained as I quickened my pace.

"What a load of bull! I know your type." I turned around slowly and faced him. "The only thing you want is women. And you want me. Well, guess what? You won't get me. I won't be one of your silly little prizes." I said confidently.

"How about a game of Wizard Chess? To pass the time." He suggested.

"Didn't you hear a word I said?!"

"Yes, but I'm quite bored at the moment and everyone is gone."

"If I play one game of chess with you, will you leave me alone?" I asked, annoyed by his actions. He didn't hear a word I just said. He was ignoring everything I would throw at him.

"Let's make it a little interesting…" Daniel persisted as he crossed his arms. Oh bloody hell… What did he have in mind?

"What are you implying?" Great… Now I sounded like Hermione.

"If you win, I'll leave you alone. If I win, we go on a date." He betted. "What do you say?" I never saw him play. Would I play him and risk going on a date with him?

"Fine. I'll take that bet. You're on mister." I said as I took a place in the corner in front of a beautiful small table with a beautifully carved mahogany chess board. He sat on the opposite side of the table and he turned the chess board so the white pieces faced me.

"You can start." He said with his adorable smile.

"Fine. Pawn to E four." I commanded and the small pawn moved by itself. It was a good start.

"Pawn to C six."

"Knight to C three."

"Pawn to D five." He commanded.

"Pawn to D five." I destroyed his little pawn. I picked up the pieces and placed them aside.

"Smart. But not smart enough. Pawn to D five." He mused. His other pawn destroyed my pawn and afterwards, Daniel picked up the broken pieces. He was obviously trying to get on my last nerves.

"Ok, you're seriously testing my patience… Bishop to B five." The piece moved on its own as Daniel looked at the board. "Check."

"Bishop to D seven. I'm not trying to test your patience. I'm trying to make you laugh, like any ordinary girl would do." He insisted with his stupid grin.

"Oh, so now you're saying I'm not a normal girl? Knight to F three." I continued saying.

"Well, any ordinary person would laugh at senseless jokes. And normal girls would move their bishop before it goes bye-bye. Bishop to B five." He said and the black bishop broke the white bishop into millions of pieces. Daniel picked up the pieces and put them aside. He was happy now.

"Well, I guess I'm not ordinary."

"No, you're not."

"Knight to B five." I said as I destroyed his bishop. I picked up the pieces and placed them aside with the rest of the broken black pieces.

"Interesting moves there. Pawn to E six." He said.

"Why are you trying to know so much about me? Pawn to D four." I asked.

"What do you mean? Pawn to A six." He didn't know what I was talking about.

"Knight to D six. Check. I mean, you could have any girl in this entire school, but you choose the new girl." I explained as I looked at him.

"Queen to D six. I like a challenge." He mused with his lovely smile as he destroyed my knight. I can't believe I was trying to play chess with a player.

"Yeah, sure. Knight to E five."

"Pawn to A five." He ordered.

"King to g one." I ordered as my king and my rook switched places, meaning that my king went to g one and my rook went to f one.

"'The rock'. Impressive. Pawn to A four." He admitted.

"Bishop to F four."

"I have to hand it to you, you don't get fooled easily." He said as he looked at the board.

"What's that supposed to mean, player?" I asked defensively.

"Player?! I'm offended!" He asked playfully.

"You should be… Your move." I mused back.

"Queen to B six." He mentioned.

"Pawn to B three." I said.

"You shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Knight to D seven." He mentioned.

"Oh yeah? And why not? Pawn to A four." I said as I destroyed his pawn.

"Rook to A four. Because, you can't really tell if I'm a player or not. The somebody who told you about me could have been wrong." He explained as he destroyed my pawn. He seriously didn't know who he was talking about.

"It's Hermione Granger who told me." I informed him.

"Well… she could have been wrong for the first time." Daniel said with a shrug.

"Yeah right! Pawn to C four." I said.

"Rook to A five." He ordered back. "What's your favourite color?"

"Such a random question. Rook to B one."

"Just answer it. Queen to D eight." He said, kind of frustrated.

"Royal blue. Rook to B seven." I said as I destroyed his pawn.

"Quite prestigious. Knight to E five." He explained as he destroyed my knight.

"My poor little knight… Bishop to E five." I said as I destroyed his knight.

"How dare you?! You just destroyed an innocent knight! Pawn to F five." He explained.

"Call me a murderer. Bishop to C seven." I said.

"Nah, that would involve the Ministry and I don't want to do any paperwork. Queen to C eight." He said with a laugh.

"Do you always have to place a sarcastic remark after each sentence? Queen to B one." I asked. He was really starting to get on my nerves even more.

"No, but it just makes life easier with jokes. Pawn to C four." He explained as he destroyed one of my poor little pawns into hundreds of pieces.

"In some ways, yes. But others, no. Pawn to A three." I said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked confusingly.

"There doesn't always have to be a sarcastic remark at each thing someone says." I explained as I leaned against my old chair.

"You know, you're quite a logical person. Pawn to F four." He said.

"Thanks… I guess. Pawn to H four." I said.

"Where were you born? Rook to G five." He asked as he ordered his pieces to move to their appropriate locations.

"Are you just going to ask me questions about my life?" I asked, irritated. This guy was starting to really annoy me with all of his questions.

"No, I'm just trying to get to know you. How is that so wrong?" he asked.

"It's not wrong. It's annoying. Rook to B eight." I said.

"Alright, do you wish for me to stop and make the silence grow even longer? Rook to G two. Check." He said as he destroyed another one of my pawns.

"Not if you're just going to stare at me or the board for the next few minutes. King to G two." I said as I destroyed his rook.

"Alright, then you might as well answer my question. Queen to B eight." He said as he destroyed one of my two rooks.

"Fine, but first say bye-bye to your queen. Bishop to B eight." I said as I destroyed his queen.

"Quite mean. What if my king didn't want her gone? Knight to F six." He said.

"Exactly what are you implying in that statement? Rook to E one." I asked suspiciously.

"Imagine if you will. The king loved his queen. What if he didn't want her to die meaningless like this? Pawn to C three." He said.

"Well, as a wise person once told me: 'we were born, we live and we die. That's the circle of life.' Bishop to A seven." I said.

"And who was this wise person of yours? Pawn to G six." He said.

"My mother. Bishop to C five." I said.

"Where's your mother now? Knight to D seven." He said.

"I'd rather not answer that. Bishop to B four." I said sourly.

"And why not? It's a simple question. Bishop to B four." He said as he destroyed my bishop.

"Just drop it. Queen to B four." I said angrily as I destroyed the bishop he just used to kill my bishop. He really didn't want me angry tonight. I didn't get angry when Hermione asked but he was just a total stranger. If I told him what happened to my parents, then it would mean that he could be a friend of mine. And I didn't want to have someone like him hanging around with me and my friends. Not a player like him…

"I'm interested. You can't blame me for asking questions. Pawn to C two." He said.

"You really want to know where my parents are?"

"Yes." He simply answered.

"They died eleven years ago, when I was five. They were killed by Death Eaters. Rook to C one." I responded flatly.

He didn't answer after a while. "I'm sorry. Pawn to E five." He said.

"Just remember one thing. If I tell you to drop it, then drop it. Rook to C two." I said angrily as I destroyed his pawn.

"Alright. King to D eight. Will you answer my question?" He asked.

"Which one? Queen to A five. Check." I asked.

"Where you were born. King to E seven." He said.

"Of what I can remember, North Carolina. Rook to C seven." I said.

"Interesting. King to D six." He said.

"Ok, let's turn the tables around for a second. Pawn to D five." I said.

"What do you mean? King to E seven." He said.

"Pawn to A four. I mean, you're always asking questions about me. Why can't I ask you some for a change?" I asked as we kept playing.

"Because it's my turn to ask some questions. Knight to F six." He said stubbornly.

"That's quite unfair."

"If you want to know about me, you're going to have to go on a date with me." He insisted with a smirk.

"Dream on, pretty boy. Pawn to D six. Check." I said.

"Well, at least you find me attractive. King to D six." He said obnoxiously.

"I take it back. Queen to A six. Check." I said.

"You can't. It's already been said. If you take it back now, you'll regret it. King to D five."

"And why would I regret it? You're acting quite ugly. Pawn to A five." I lied. He was actually attractive for his age.

"I'm offended again… Pawn to G five." He said.

"You should be. You're into your looks a little too much. Pawn to G five." I said as I destroyed his pawn. "Guys like you normally are."

"I actually only take my looks into consideration when I'm surrounded by a pretty girl. Pawn to H five." He said confidently. He sure thought a lot about himself.

"Did you change your looks just to try and get my attention? Queen to F six." I said as I destroyed his knight. "Because my intentions don't involve you." He just kept looking at me, like he was trying to get me to fall in love with him.

"I might have… Does it attract you? Pawn to G four." He asked as he kept looking at me. He really didn't pay attention to what he was doing… He just gave me an opening in the game.

"Not in the least. And I see that you don't pay very much attention, do you? Queen to H eight." I said as I destroyed his rook.

"Oh dang! I'm dead now…" He said disappointedly.

"You sure are. Your move." I mused.

"Well, I've got nothing else to lose… King to E five."

"Besides not speaking to me anymore, you're right. You really have nothing else to lose. Rook to H seven." I said.

"You're really offending me here. Um… king to E five." He said hesitantly.

"I'm trying to prove a point. Pawn to A six." I had him now.

"And what might that point be?" He asked curiously.

"I'm not someone you want to know. Trust me."

"Even if you say that, you're just making me even more curious than before. King to D five." He said with his adorable smile. Why was I falling for a player? That wasn't like me.

"Well, then I'll act even more rude to get you off my back. How about that? Pawn to A seven." I said rudely.

"My kind of girl. Pawn to E four." He responded. As I looked him over, he had a nice physique. Could be built for an Auror in the future. Maybe even going into the Muggle business. He could be a contractor or something if he decided to live in the Muggle world. His light brown eyes showed happiness and compassion, although his attitude showed otherwise. But his hair changed again. It went to light brown.

"Ok, I want to at least ask one question. Rook to H six. Check." I said. If he was going to keep asking questions about me, I should at least have the right to ask him one.

"Depending on the question."

"What's up with your hair?"

"My hair changes with my mood. Um… King to E five." He said as he looked more closely at the board.

"To what colors? I've noticed three colors. Any others? Pawn to A eight and I exchange it for a rook." I asked as my one destroyed rook rebuilt itself magically and in the blink of an eye, it replaced my pawn.

"Oh dang…" He said as he brought his head in his hands. He really was a dead man…

"Going to surrender?" I asked confidently.

"No now… Maybe later, but not now. My hair changes from light brown, to dark, to black. Pawn to F three." He said, hesitant as always. "Check."

"You're not going to check me for long. King to G three."

"Dang. Um… King to D five."

"And what affects those colors? King to F three." I said as I destroyed his pawn confidently.

"Are you just trying to destroy my pawns so that you can have a more confident win?" He asked.

"Why yes I am. Just answer my question."

"Fine… Dark brown is usually my normal. King to E five."

"But you can't have brown hair and brown eyes. You must have died it. Rook to H five."

"Oh bloody hell…" He said. "Fine. King to E six."

"What color was it before? King to E three."

"Blond. How about I just say 'You win'?"

"Nope. You know the game can only go back to its original state when someone's in checkmate."

"Oh, alright… My hair was blond before but I got teased for it so, I tried to make a potion that would stop the teasing but the potion went horribly wrong. King to E seven."

"What happened?" I asked. Now he got my curiosity for the first time today.

"It made my hair change color to dark brown. But it affects my mood. If I'm angry or sad, it turns black." He explained as he looked at the board. He didn't have many pieces left.

"But when it's light brown, you're happy." I said with a smile.

"You catch on pretty quick, for a girl." He said with a smirk on his player face.

"Excuse me?" That was a hit below the belt. How far would he go at testing my patience?

"I didn't mean it in the literal sense. Just guys are smarter than girls." He admitted.

"That's a lie. Look at Hermione. She's one of the smartest girls in Gryffindor." I admitted as I looked at the board myself.

"And what about you? Are you smart?"

"Depending on your definition of smart. Rook to H six."

"Bloody hell…" He sighed in defeat.

"You have no where to run." I said mockingly.

"I know that! King to D seven." He said, annoyed.

"Rook to A seven. Checkmate." I said as I stood up with a lovely smile on my face. I had won but… I didn't know if I wanted to get the prize. "I win." I said flatly.

"You don't sound too happy. You just defeated someone who never loses in chess." He admitted as the pieces started to remake themselves and they were placing themselves in their rightful positions on the board.

"Well, I feel proud about kicking your butt at something that needs logical thinking. But… I don't want the prize. I say you win the bet." I admitted as I started to leave the Common Room.

"Wait!" Daniel screamed before I opened the painting to exit the room. I turned my head towards him. "What made you change your mind?"

"I'm giving you a shot. Pick me up tomorrow at seven. And you better have something good planned for this date of yours." I commented before exiting the room, leaving Daniel with his thoughts. For some reason, as I exited the Common Room, I was smiling. But… the reason behind the smile was unknown. Maybe I would start to like him…

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**Bellacullenswan17**

17


	7. Duel

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**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter!!!**

Chapter 7

Duel

As I walked out of the Common Room, I was happy. I showed Mr. Obnoxious a thing or two at Wizard Chess and was able to get some information out of it about him. It might have been very little information, but it was information all the same. I walked down the stairs and ran into Hermione. What horrible timing…

"You're quite the joyful person today." She admitted as she turned around and followed me down the stairs.

"Am I not allowed?"

"Something must have happened."

"Well, you're right about that. Something did happen." I admitted as I walked towards the Great Hall. It was time for dinner anyways. I had finished my match with Daniel at such a great time.

"Explain please!" She asked happily. We walked towards our table and she took my wrist to stop me. I laughed a little and she seemed beyond excited. "Jamie."

"I'm sorry Hermy. It's just so funny to see you act this way. You're more excited about this than I am." I explained as I looked at her. She seemed confused about my choice of words.

"You've never called me Hermy before." She asked suspiciously.

"Am I not supposed to give friends nicknames?" I asked with a grin. "Sorry about that."

"No, it's fine. It's just… abnormal."

"How in the world is it abnormal? If you don't like it, you can say so." I admitted with a smile. I don't think she liked the nickname.

"I like it. It's… unique. Now, please start explaining. I'm becoming extinct here." She pleaded with a soft smile.

"You're getting excited for nothing. I played chess with Daniel."

"Is that all you did with him?" She asked. What did she mean?

"We played and talked." I said as I kept walking towards the table. Hermione didn't follow me.

"Jamie, it seems like you were on a date with this man." Hermione said, a little louder than expected. I stopped and opened my eyes wide. I turned around abruptly and ran towards her.

"I wasn't on a date with him!" I said but she had a very small smile on her beautiful face. I thought about it for a few seconds but all Hermione could do was nod. "Did I…?" I hesitated.

"I believe you did. That man is smitten by you." She informed me.

"Oh bloody hell…" I said as I went to the table disappointed and discouraged. As I sat down at the table, I crossed my arms and placed them on the table. Soon afterwards, I closed my eyes and started banging my head on the table. It didn't hurt at all.

"What's the matter with her?" I heard Harry ask through all the banging. I stopped hitting my head on the table and placed my chin on my folded arms. I had a large frown on my face.

"I was on a date with Daniel Stromb." I informed disappointingly.

"The man who cheats with every girl in Gryffindor?" Fred asked as I looked at him.

"Don't remind me…"

"How in bloody hell did you go out with _him_?!" Ron asked in complete astonishment. "I would have imagined you for a women with… better taste."

"Shut it, before I make you shut it!" I rebutted angrily. I pointed my finger at him and he raised his arms defensively. "For your _information_, I didn't know I was on a date. Hermione just made me realize I was."

"What in Merlin's name were you doing with the boy?" Ron asked as I relaxed.

"We were playing chess, and talking…" I informed.

"Talking?" George asked suspiciously.

"He was asking questions about me." I said out of shame.

"You were definitely on a 'date'." Fred informed. I could hear the quotation marks in his voice when he said the word 'date'. Great… I had wanted a normal voice without love affairs. If I kept this up, my wish wouldn't come true.

"Lovely…" I said to myself as I placed my forehead on my folded arms. "I'm a bloody idiot…" I said; my voice muffled by the fact my head was bent into the bottom of my arms.

"I can't argue with that, Karsson." A man said from behind me with a British accent. I knew exactly who that voice belonged to.

"Oh bloody hell…" I said as I turned around slowly. Malfoy was standing right in front of me, his arms folded across his chest in complete delight. "What do you want Malfoy?"

"I hear you went out with Daniel Stromb, the man who plays every girl in your little house." He mocked. I stood up and walked right over to him. I stood inches from his face. Where did he always hear these kinds of things?

"So? What's it to you?"

"You have the most horrible taste in men. My father says that women who are smitten by men like Stromb end up living in a little hole with nobody around them." He explained with that same grin. That was incredibly insulting what he had just said about me. "You filthy little Mudblood. Can't even get a bloody man with a good reputation to ask you out." That was it.

I turned around and made my back face him. "I told you before…" I said before punching him in the right eye. He fell to the floor and I bent my head slightly to look at him. He was in pain from the punch. "I'm _not_ a Muggle born. Learn some respect for others. And you don't know anything about me." I said before leaving the Great Hall without eating. After everything that just happened to me in the past few hours, I was glad not to eat.

Although I hadn't eaten all day, I didn't care. I stepped out of the school and walked towards the grounds. I passed through the Entrance Hall and went through the bridge towards the Stone Circle. It was already dark outside so, I took out my wand and said: "_Lumos_." Suddenly, the tip of my wand lit up and I could see my surroundings. There was no wind tonight, which was calm. With the hot temperature burning my skin, I sat on the grass, just on the edge of the round cliff. The large stone walls were surrounding the field was historic.

I looked at the water. The stars were reflected on the still water and the waves were silently moving the reflection of the moon. It was a nice evening. "Hey!" I heard a man's voice scream from behind me. Oh bloody hell… Couldn't he just leave me alone? "No one has the right to do that to me! Especially not a filthy witch like you!" Malfoy screamed as he started to come towards me. I stood up and turned my body towards him. Well, at least he didn't call me a filthy Mudblood. I didn't see why someone had the right to call someone a Mudblood or a Halfblood just because they were born from a certain family.

"Oh yeah? And what are you going to do about it?" I asked confidently. I never figured out where this burst of courage came from but I was sure that this Slytherin wouldn't get the better of me. "Are you going to run away again?" I insisted as he stood inches from my face again. He was really ticked off.

"You think you're so clever, Karsson? Well, you're not going to win. No one gets away with those kinds of pathetic stunts." Malfoy declared angrily.

"And you think you have the power to stop me?" I asked, over towering him. I was a little taller than Malfoy and that gave me some opportunity to scare him.

"Yes, and I'll prove you the power of a Slytherin." He said as he backed up and took out his wand. "_Stupefy_!" He shouted and a blast of red light came towards me. I dodged it and went behind a stone wall. What was he trying to do?! Kill me to prove a point? And the big game against Slytherin was tomorrow.

I took in a deep breath and jumped sideways to say: "_Stupefy_!" As my wand shot the red light towards Malfoy, he shot another spell at me. I didn't hear the incantation but a green light came at me. I dodged it in time to send a _Mobilicorpus_ spell at him. It shot right past him and I ran behind the rock again. I ran towards the opposite side of the Stone Circle and tried to get a _Levicorpus_ spell thrown at him but he had thought ahead. He ran to the opposite side of the circle as well.

"Had enough?" I asked, starting to breathe heavily.

"Not a chance. But eat this!" He screamed as he shot another _Stupefy_ spell at me. It didn't even graze me. It hit the stone wall I was leaning against. I ran towards him and tried to send a _Stupefy_ spell at him. Luckily, it hit him in the shoulder, which made him do a side flip to the left—well, his left. He landed on the floor with a large _thud_ and I went behind one of the stone walls again.

"You filthy Gryffindor! How dare you land a blow on me?!" He screamed as he stood up and started to move towards one of the stone walls. I heard the rustling of grass, which meant he was on the move. I didn't know which direction he had moved towards so; I snuck a peek to the right to see if he made a movement. He sent a spell at me and unfortunately, it hit me in the shoulder. It caused a harmful sting and I checked my shoulder slightly. It was forming a wound, a deep wound.

"Why you…" I said to myself. I saw the direction of his movements. It was going towards my left side. I started running towards his right side and found myself standing in the same position I had started in the beginning of this duel, close to the hill.

"Feel the sting, Karsson! It'll only get worse." He screamed as he stood out from the Stone Circle. This was my opening. I twisted and just stood there. He didn't fire anything. We looked at each other for a while. I had very little training in unspoken spells but I had to give it a shot. I tried to use a _Stupefy_ spell and Malfoy didn't see it coming. The red light hit him right in the stomach. He flew in the air backwards and landed right on his stomach. I walked towards him and stood in the middle of the Stone Circle. I had a grin on my face. He had trouble standing up.

"See? This is why you shouldn't mess with me. If you ever try to insult me or my friends again, we'll just end up like this. You on the ground and I, soaking in my victory over a Slytherin." I mused. He tried to stand up but it was difficult for him.

I walked towards Malfoy and he just looked at me. I kicked his wand out of his hand and it landed a few inches away from him. I didn't imagine that just a small _Stupefy_ spell could affect him that much. It wasn't that powerful. "You have… some nerve." He said.

"You're pathetic. And a coward. Now, run off to your Common Room so I can enjoy the rest of my night." I said as I went to sit close to the hill to watch the moon shine on the still water. As I walked, I felt some surge of happiness that Malfoy wouldn't bother to keep sending spells at me. Hopefully, he had learned his lesson.

"_Sectumsempra_!" I heard Malfoy scream. I turned around quickly but a white light came right at me. It hit me in the chest and I went flying high in the air, back towards the hill. I felt as if I had been slashed by numerous swords in the chest and arms. As I started flying down the hill, I gasped in pain. How could anyone use a spell like this against their opponent?

I landed on the ground hard and started rolling backwards down the steep hill. With each roll, my body hurt even more. After a few seconds, I stopped rolling and fell on my back. I lay there motionless, afraid to move because of the pain. With each breath I took, the pain grew. I tried to turn my head to see how bad the wounds were but it was unbearable to move. I shot a quick glance at my arm and it was bleeding heavily.

"This will teach you not to mess with royalty." I heard Malfoy scream with delight from the top of the hill. I could barely keep my eyes open. The pain was intensifying and I was losing consciousness fast.

"Hey, what are ya kids doing?" I heard a very deep and masculine voice say from behind me. It wasn't Malfoy, I was positive of that. This voice was kind and caring.

"Have a nice evening!" I heard Malfoy scream before he ran away without another word.

"Who's there?" The kind manly voice asked. I could feel it coming closer. "Show yourself!" How could I show myself if I couldn't move. I knew my wand had fallen beside me but I couldn't get to it. My arms, my legs, even my whole body couldn't move. Only my mouth.

"Help…" I whispered. That was all I could do.

"Miss Karsson, what in Merlin's beard happened to you?!" The manly voice asked. I knew that voice… But where had I heard it before?

I needed to try and say something. But all I could say was "Help…" but it came out more of a whisper than anything else again.

"Blimey, there's isn't enough time to get ya to Madam Pomfrey. I've got to take you somewhere safe." He said as he scooped me up in his giant arms very painfully. I gasped in pain. "Sorry." was all he said before I lost consciousness.

**Alright, so what'd you guys think? Please review. I haven't gotten one review so far for this one… Review please!!!**

**Bellacullenswan17**

9


	8. First match

**Here's another chapter for this story. READ AND REVIEW!!**

**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter!!**

Chapter 8

First match

I woke up in pain. I had remembered the events from the night before. Playing chess with Daniel, Malfoy interrupts my dinner, watching the water flow silently and Malfoy ruining the moment with a duel, Malfoy lying on the floor in pain from the _Stupefy_ spell that I conjured, and Malfoy sending an unknown spell at me. I remembered up to the part where the mysterious man saved me. Who was he?

As I opened my eyes slowly, I saw a wood covered ceiling. Where was I? I opened my eyes and tried to move. It hurt to move. I tried to move slowly but a manly voice said: "Hey there! Don't 'cha move too much! You're going to get hurt again." I turned my head towards the voice and found a man, who was twice as tall as an ordinary man and—not to object about his weight—five times as wide, with quite the long mane of shaggy black hair and a dark grey beard that covered most of his face. His dark eyes stared at my tired and wounded body. "Hello there." He said; his voice filled with care. He had light skin and wore a very large—and what looked like—moleskin overcoat with many pockets and large black boots.

I knew him. "Professor Hagrid?" I asked, my voice gargled, probably affected by the amount of sleep. There was light outside.

"Ya. Miss Karsson, what happened to ya?" Professor Hagrid asked.

"Malfoy happened…" I said as I tried to get out of this enormous bed. How big was he exactly? As I moved around, I found my chest and stomach to hurt extremely. I gasped in pain and placed an arm on my stomach.

"Be careful. And you're saying that Draco Malfoy did this to you?" He asked.

"Yes, Professor. That's exactly—"

"You're a friend of Hermione's, right?" He asked curiously.

"Um… yes?" I said hesitantly.

"Well, if you're a friend of Hermione's, you're a friend of mine. I've known them since first year." He explained with a smile. "Call me Hagrid, Jamie."

"Um… thanks, Prof—I mean, Hagrid. Might I ask what how long I've been unconscious?" I asked as I carefully made my way out of the gigantic bed. I looked myself over and I was covered in bandages. Did this man actually take my shirt off? I looked at Hagrid and his smile vanished.

"Don't worry. I didn't take anything off. I went to see Madam Pomfrey and she came over here, saying it was too dangerous for ya to move. You were in a rough shape." He explained. I lowered my shirt—which was only raised on top of my belly button—and looked at him. "You were lying there for more than ten hours. It's nine o'clock now." He said as he looked at his many watches all over the wall.

"Oh no! The match starts in an hour." I said as I ran towards the door but Hagrid blocked my way.

"And where do ya think you're going?"

"I have my first match against Slytherin today. I can't disappoint my teammates." I explained as I tried to get past him but he wouldn't budge. And he was blocking most of the room. I figured that he was either a Giant of a Half-Giant, especially for his size.

"I'm sure they'll understand if you miss this one." He said as he placed a giant hand on my shoulder carefully. His hands were huge compared to mine. "You need your rest Jamie." Hagrid said as he went towards the bed. I knew that I could make a break for it but, he was one of my teachers. If I disobeyed, I knew I could probably get in trouble.

"Um… I will Hagrid." I lied. I had to get out of here. I had to get to the Quidditch Pitch and fast. "I'll just go to my Common Room and get some rest. Thanks for everything." I said as I grabbed the doorknob and walked outside. I didn't get a chance to hear Hagrid's response before I started fast-walking. I decided not to run in fear that my wounds might open up before the match, but I arrived at the Quidditch Pitch minutes before the match started. I was a little out of breath by the time I arrived. Harry, Fred and George were looking all around the place for something. I walked up to them and they turned their heads towards me.

"Where have you been?" Harry asked as I walked to them slowly.

"Sorry. I kind of overworked myself this morning while I… ran and I didn't look at the time… Sorry I'm late." I lied. That was the best excuse I could come up with right now. They looked furious.

"Well, the match starts in five minutes." Fred said.

"You should get dressed." George commented.

"Pronto." They both said in unison.

"Alright, alright. I'll get dressed." Sure, I'll get dressed. It would be painful but I would get dressed. I walked towards the changing room and started getting changed slowly but painfully. It took a few minutes but I was able to get through it. As I got out of the changing room with my broom in hand—yes, I left it in the changing room yesterday—and went towards the other players; I noticed Harry was a little worried.

"What's the matter with you?" He asked worriedly.

"Nothing, why?"

"It feels like you're out of it."

"Not at all." Why was I lying so much? I imagine I should tell them after the match, if I was able to live through this match. I didn't know how these Slytherin played but I knew it was evil. "I just want to get this match over with."

"In a hurry?" Fred asked from behind me. I turned my head slowly and saw him grin at me. George mimicked his features.

"Not at all." I repeated.

"You better keep your head in the game, Karsson." Oliver Wood came up beside me and looked at me with the same determined look he kept before a training session or a match.

"Um… no problem Captain." I hesitated. Would my playing be as good as before with my injuries? I sure hope it wouldn't affect anything…

"Let's get out there, mates." Oliver said as he climbed on his broom and everyone followed. In a matter of seconds, we were flying through the air and everyone cheered and screamed around us. It was amazing. The screams and the students waving banners and flags with their favourite houses' names on it. It was cheerful and quite hopeful. As we flew through the air, Slytherin did the same. I looked at their players and, in total astonishment, I saw Malfoy race through the air. Oh bloody hell…

"What's Malfoy doing on the Slytherin team?" I asked Harry as he flew beside me.

"He's one of the new Beaters." He explained. Why did he have to be a Quidditch player? Just my bloody luck…

We made a circle around Madam Hoof, the first year's flight professor. She blew her whistle and threw the Quaffle in the air. I flew towards the Quaffle and was able to catch it successfully. The match started and I flew towards the Slytherin hoops. Angelina Johnson, one of the incredible Chasers on the Gryffindor team, flew beside me and I passed her the Quaffle. She flew faster towards the hoops and shot the Quaffle. It _swoosh_ed through one of the hoops and we had just made ten points. I raised my fist in the air and the crippling pain from my wounds appeared. It hurt terribly to move but the match had just started.

"Starting to feel the pain, Karsson?" I heard a mocking voice say from far away. I looked towards the voice and saw Malfoy smile at me with his annoyingly mocking grin. Man, he was starting to tick me off that guy…

"Not in this lifetime Malfoy!" I screamed. Even breathing was starting to be dangerous. Why was this spell hurting so much? I thought Madam Pomfrey looked me over… I flew towards the Gryffindor hoops and a Slytherin Chaser had the Quaffle in hand. He was flying quite fast but I could catch up to him. I flew even faster towards the Slytherin and kicked the Quaffle from under his armpit. It flew towards Oliver and he caught it without any trouble.

"Nice Karsson! Keep it up!" Oliver screamed as he threw the Quaffle to Angelina. She flew through the air and I followed her.

As the Slytherin Chasers followed us from behind, Angelina passed me the Quaffle and I was about to shoot the Quaffle through one of the hoops, someone shouted "Watch out!" but I could only turn my head towards the voice. I didn't know if it was meant for me but I still looked towards who screamed the warning. The second I turned my head, I saw a Bludger coming straight for me. I didn't have enough time to move before it hit me right in the left side. With the force of the impact on my side, I was forced to fall from my broom with excruciating pain and fell to the ground hard. I was a few feet up in the air when that happened. I knew my ribs were broken from the impact but I didn't let go of the Quaffle. As hard as it was on me, I wouldn't let Slytherin take it.

I gasped a few times in pain, to try and avoid my now broken ribs but Angelina flew right above me. I threw the Quaffle slowly and carefully and she flew towards the hoops, Quaffle in hand. I decided to lay on my back as Angelina made another ten points for Gryffindor. I started to get up slowly and painfully, trying to avoid the stabbing pain that my ribs could produce. I turned my head to each side, trying to find my broom but suddenly, I saw Malfoy coming at me with a bat in hand. Oh no… this couldn't end well. He swung his bat at my head and hit me in the right side of the face.

The impact of his bat against my right temple, my cheek and my chin sent me to the left. Why was he causing me so much pain? This was unbearable. I held most of my weight by my right arm painfully and spat out the blood that ran in my mouth on the grassy floor. I knew that some of my bones might be dislocated but now, the match had to finish.

"Harry, please finish this match… I can't take anymore of this." I whispered to myself. I knew I probably had a concussion out of this.

I tried to get up but it was agonizing. It still had to be done. I found my broom a few inches away from me and embarked on it. I was crazy for doing this, I knew that. I started to fly slowly towards a Slytherin Chaser who had the Quaffle. Malfoy flew beside me at a fast pace and looked happy. Of course he would. "You never know when to give up, do you Karsson?" He asked mockingly.

"Not at all…" I said; my breathing uneven again. This time, there was a good reason behind it.

"Then start feeling the pain. Hey fellas! Aim for Karsson!" He screamed to his other teammates as Angelina stole the Quaffle from the Slytherin Chaser. She flew towards me and threw the Quaffle at me. I caught it but my broken ribs poked at my stomach. It really hurt. I gasped in pain and closed my eyes but as I flew through the air, a Slytherin came at me and kicked me in the ribs sideways. I couldn't take anymore of this. I gasped in pain again but this time, I threw the Quaffle towards Katie Bell, the other Gryffindor Chaser. She caught it and threw it at Angelina. I stopped flying and tried to catch my breath regularly.

"You're getting a beating there Jamie." I heard someone say from beside me. It was Fred.

"Don't… remind me…" I tried to say.

"What's the matter?" George asked me as he joined his brother.

"I can… hardly breathe." I explained as much as I could.

"Try to get your breathing under control." Fred suggested. What did he think I was doing? Drinking tea?

"I'm trying…"

"Jamie! Watch out!" I heard someone scream. As I lifted my head, a Slytherin punched my in my left side. It hurt so much that all I could do was open my eyes in pain and gasp.

"Be careful Jamie!" Fred said worriedly.

"I… I'm trying… What's the score…?" I asked in pain. I couldn't handle being hit one more time. As I touched my wounds, I could feel something wet on my clothes. I looked at my uniform and it was tainted red on my arms, stomach and chest. I felt the side of my face and it was trickling with something wet. Oh no… more blood.

"Fifty to thirty for them. Harry's close to the Snitch." George mentioned. I looked towards the crowd and saw that Harry was extremely close to the Snitch. I looked into the crowd and saw Cedric Diggory, cheering for the Gryffindor team. I was surprised for a moment. Of what I had heard, he was chosen for the Triwizard Tournament last year just like Harry and had died—I was told that a Death Eater had put Cedric and Harry's name into the Goblet of Fire (since they were both underage) and that Cedric died during the third task. I guess that was a lie. Or maybe I was just misinformed by someone at my old school.

"Good…" I said, now starting to lose consciousness slowly.

"Stay in there Karsson. We've only got a few minutes left." George said as he poked me with his bat. It woke me up for a little while and as I woke up, Harry had caught the Snitch and we won the match against Slytherin. Great. I needed to rest anyways. Why didn't I follow Hagrid's advice?

The Gryffindor team celebrated for a while but I couldn't stay here any longer. I descended with my broom and headed towards the changing room. It took a while for me to get there because of the intense pain but I made it and I didn't bother to get changed. I lifted my shirt and found that I was bleeding heavily. Great… I started to get out of the changing room but the Gryffindor team started to come in the room, cheering their heads off. I got passed all of them but suddenly got a major wave of fatigue. I placed a hand on the wall and the other on my forehead, which stung a lot at the moment.

"Jamie?" I heard a sweet voice ask. I opened my eyes slowly to find Hermione, Luna and Hagrid coming towards me. Oh no… I was in trouble now.

"Hey… How'd you find the match…?"

"The better question is if you're alright?" She asked worriedly as she placed a hand on my arm, right where Malfoy shot the spell at me. I still had the wounds from last night and it was still painful.

"Yeah… just fine…"

"You got a massive beating out there, mate." Ron said as he joined the little party.

"Don't remind me…" I said, my breathing becoming uneven again.

"I told you to rest Jamie! You lied to me!" Hagrid said.

"I'm sorry Hagrid… I had to go… And we won… if you've noticed…" I said unevenly. My wave of fatigue washed over me again and I held onto the wall even more. I closed my eyes and tried to stabilize myself a little.

"We have to get her to the hospital wing." Hermione said as she placed an arm around my waist and started dragging me towards the hospital wing as gently as possible but it was still a little painful. As we arrived to the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey was taking care of other students who were either injured or sick. Madam Pomfrey turned her head towards the party I had brought with me and she seemed in shock. Not surprising.

"Dear, what happened to you?! I just saw you yesterday and you didn't look _this_ wretched." She exclaimed as Hermione brought me towards a white bed. I had to hand it to Hermione, she had quite the strength.

"Yesterday?" Hermione asked. Right… she didn't know.

"Malfoy duelled me yesterday night… and he shot a hex at me…" I explained as I laid down on the bed carefully. I didn't want to get hurt even more. I was already pushing it.

"What kind of a hex?" She asked.

"Something called… the Sectumsempra hex…"

"I've never heard of that hex before. I'll do some research on the subject. But Madam Pomfrey, can you help her?" Hermione asked before turning her head towards Madam Pomfrey. I started to close my eyes as Hermione spoke. I started to fall into unconsciousness but it was slow.

"Well, she will have to take it slow for a few days but yes, she'll be just fine. It might hurt but she'll be fine." Madam Pomfrey said before I fell into unconsciousness. It hurt too much to stay awake. I might as well let the darkness take over, for now.

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**Bellacullenswan17**

11


	9. Healing

**So here's another chapter and thanks for the first review!!! But the justice will come, trust me:P REVIEW!!!**

**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter!!!**

Chapter 9

Healing

It had been a while before I woke up. Madam Pomfrey gave me the status of my injuries and she told me that it was a close one. I had a mild concussion, many broken ribs, a dislocated chin—yes, a dislocated chin—and a few internal injuries. After many potions, I was starting to heal. She also explained to me my injuries from the hex. She said that the spell gave me horrible gashes. She had to use some old remedies just to cure me, which was coming as a shock to me. How much pain had Malfoy given me?

Hermione came to see me the most, followed by Luna. Sometimes, Harry and Ron came to see me but I was surprised to see that Daniel had come as well. I was surprised that _he_ would come and visit. As I healed, Hermione came and brought me some information. She had tried to find some peculiar information about the spell Malfoy had used on me in the library but came to no conclusion. She asked some teachers but she got some information from Professor Snape. She even surprised me with that news. Apparently, the Sectumsempra spell could violently wound the target and it's described as being as though the subject had been, like I said before, slashed by a sword. Well, I wasn't far off when I described the sensation I felt when Malfoy hit me with that awful spell.

I was out of the hospital wing in less than three days. Although the potions Madam Pomfrey gave me were even more painful than getting the wounds, it was helpful. In the afternoon of the third day, Madam Pomfrey gave me permission to leave the hospital wing. I left and met Hermione and Luna in the library. "Hey everyone." I whispered as I joined them at their table. They both smiled at me as I sat down and got my books out of my book bag.

"How are you feeling?" Hermione asked.

"Better, I hope." Luna said with a smile.

"Actually, I am. How's the homework coming along?" I asked as I started on my very late assignments.

"We just arrived."

"What luck. Maybe I can finish my homework with the lot of you." I said as I continued my homework. No one spoke for a long time. And surprisingly, I had finished my ton of homework in record time. I would have thought that it would have taken me longer than that to do my assignments but to my own surprise, it didn't. After I was done, Hermione and Luna finished at the same time.

"You guys are fast." I commented as I started putting away my ton of books.

"Jamie, you just finished almost a week's ton of homework in under an hour. That is astonishing." Hermione said with a smile as we left the library. Luna had to leave to go to her Common Room, which wasn't such a bad idea at the moment. Hermione and I made our way to our own Common Room but we ran into someone I _really_ didn't want to talk to at the moment.

"Hello ladies. And look who's out of the hospital." Daniel said as we entered the Common Room.

"Yes, thanks for your concern. Now, I must really be off." I said as I tugged on Hermione's arm and we made our way to the Girls' Dormitory.

"You know, we were supposed to have a date three nights ago." Daniel said from his spot as I climbed the stairs. I stopped and closed my eyes. That's right, we were supposed to go out the night of the Quidditch match but, because of my injuries, I couldn't attend. Why was this happening to me now?

"Jamie! You never informed me of this little outing of yours!" Hermione whispered in shock.

"To be honest, I didn't think he'd remember." I whispered back as I turned around slowly and walked back down the stairs. I walked up to him and he wore a smirk on his face that annoyed me to my core. "So, you remembered."

"So, when's our next date?" He asked as he rubbed his hands together rapidly, like he was about to eat his favourite meal ever.

"I'm not a piece of meat, you know." I commented as I crossed my arms across my chest.

"I know that. I'm just excited. Come on, how about we go for a walk? It would be relaxing and it would end the day proudly." He said as he stomped his fist on his chest in a symbol of pride. I closed my eyes and placed a hand on my eyes in utter embarrassment. How could one person embarrass themselves so much in one minute? "See? I was able to make you laugh the day you got out of the hospital wing." He admitted with a laugh. He made me laugh as well.

"Alright, mister big shot. I'll take you up on that offer."

"Yay!" He responded in a childlike voice as he stated to jump up and down. Man, this guy was a real child. We started walking towards the door to the Common Room and walked all the way to the waterfront, where I first met him. We walked along the waterfront slowly but quietly.

"So, how do you feel?"

"Alright, I suppose. Everyone's been asking me that lately."

"Well, it's normal. You got a rather cruel beating by Malfoy the other day. You're pretty lucky that you're still standing." He admitted as I placed my hands in my jean pockets. On non-school days, the students were allowed to wear something other than their uniforms.

"Oh, don't remind me. Ok, now it's my turn to ask all the questions."

"And why is that?"

"Because you asked all of the questions last time we had a long chat, or apparently it was our first date, according to others." I commented sharply as we kept walking. He never stopped looking at me with a big smile on his face.

"So you noticed." Great, he was a wise guy _and_ a player. Lovely…

"Alright, smart Halleck. Just start answering my questions."

"It all depends on the questions." He said. As I thought of the questions I would ask him, only the crunching sound of the rocks underneath our feet could be heard.

"Alright, I've got a question. What was your past like?" It was a fair question. He asked me about my past, I figured I should know about his. He looked in front of us and started talking.

"I was actually born in Los Angeles. My parents didn't like living in small villages, which is why they moved to the big city before I was born. Both my parents are wizards. I've moved around a lot from time to time but my parents always kept their jobs at the Ministry." He explained.

"In which department do they work?" I didn't know much about the Ministry. The only thing I knew is that they were a large part of the wizarding world.

"In the Department of Mysteries. They've been working there ever since I've been born. Anyways, I've always been going to Hogwarts. My folks think it's the safest place around for wizard, what with Dumbledore as the headmaster." He said before looking at me with a smile.

"Ok, for my next question, have you always been a player?" That question was rather personal.

"Next question." He wouldn't even answer a simple question like that. Man, this guy was stubborn.

"Oh come on. It's a fair question again."

"Maybe I'll answer it at the end, if I feel like it." He answered stubbornly.

"Trying to be a bad boy now, are we?" I asked pleasantly. I smiled at him and he punched me softly on the arm. He knew that I was still a little fragile. "Alright, now that we've gotten that out of the way, what's your favourite class?" I asked as we kept walking at a slow pace.

"Easy question, Potions."

"Really? And why is that?"

"What's not to like about it? You either make a really great and practical potion or you blow up the whole place. It's the best of both worlds."

"You'd rather blow up some place than learn how to make an effective potion?" I asked numbly. How could anyone want massive destruction instead of a classroom filled with peace?

"At times, when I'm bored." He mused.

"Wait a second, aren't you in my class?" I asked as I stopped in my tracks. He stopped as well and looked at me.

"Oh, you don't notice the others in your class?"

"Not when I'm in the middle of making a potion, or getting killed by birds." I said that last part lowly. Hopefully low enough that he couldn't hear me.

"I saw that. Quite the experience, wasn't it?" He asked in a joking matter.

"That wasn't funny. I almost died." I said as I started walking again. He followed me and started laughing.

"Look, I'm not trying to be a wise guy here."

"You sure aren't doing a very good job at it." I answered coldly.

"Yeah, I'm sure I probably deserve that. But you know that I'm not a bad guy. And I'm not the one who switched that potion ingredient the day you got sent to the hospital wing." He added. I stopped in my tracks again and looked at him curiously.

"I never said anything about that." How did he hear about that? I only mentioned it to Hermione, Ron, Harry and a few others, but not him.

"Oh come on! I was passing by when you were talking it to your friends. I was exiting the Common Room when you mentioned it. How bad of a scare did you give Malfoy?" He asked with a smile that went almost all the way up to his cheekbones.

"Apparently, not hard enough." I said as I started to walk once more. He kept following me like a dog. I smiled and looked at him. "You're always making me ask the same question…"

"Which would be?" He asked.

"Why would you choose to get to know me more than anyone else? I'm not _that_ interesting." I mentioned. He didn't look too happy.

"As I told you once before, you fascinate me. I want to get to know what makes you tick." He explained with his annoying smile.

"You'll get bored easily."

"If you really think that, then you don't know me that well. I'll figure you out soon enough." He admitted. Sometimes, his remarks really got on my nerves.

"Trust me; it takes a while to get to know someone like me. And in the end, you just want to forget I ever existed." That last part, I mostly whispered it to myself. It went quiet for a few seconds. I looked around and found that he was gone. I stopped and turned around to see if he had ran away, but he just stood there, looking at me with a confused and hurt expression. "What'd I do?" I asked innocently.

"Is that really how you think of yourself? That by the time I'm through with you, I'm just going to drop you, like a plate of grist?" He asked with a surprising tone.

"I've had my share of experience in that department and trust me; you'll be like everyone else." I said as I started walking again. We were doing a lot of walking and stopping today.

"You're wrong." I heard him say. He wasn't to give up on me for some apparent reason I was oblivious to. I closed my eyes and stopped in my tracks. I turned around slowly and walked up to him. He hadn't budged.

"And why is that?" I said lifelessly. "You think that I don't know what I'm talking about?"

"You don't know _anything_ about me." He answered coldly with a cold glare. He scared me at the moment. He looked more dangerous than any creature I had encountered during my lifetime.

"Oh yeah? And what makes you think you know so much about me? Everything happens for a reason."

"Alright, if you say that everything happens for a reason, then try to explain this." He said as he placed a hand on each of my shoulders and leaned his face close to mine. Please don't tell me he's trying to land a kiss… He placed his forehead on mine and closed his eyes. I opened my eyes wide and tried to find my voice.

"What… what do you think you're doing?" I asked in shock. He started to lean his lips closer to mine.

"Trying something, now hold still and don't talk."

He was really over exaggerating this kiss. No one I knew started a kiss like that. As our lips almost met, he started embracing me. I wanted to escape but he wouldn't let me. The way his arms folded around my shoulders and back was something I couldn't break. He tilted his head to the side and placed his lips on mine and kissed me intensely. Something I couldn't deny was the passion behind the kiss. Somehow, Daniel brought a shocking feeling as we kissed. I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around his neck.

I could feel a connection forming between me and Daniel. Like a part of me couldn't stand to be without him. But how could this happen when I knew that Daniel probably wasn't the right guy for me? I stopped the kiss. I didn't want to feel this connection anymore. I let my arms fall limp to my sides and left my eyes closed. I didn't feel his arms or any part of his face on my body anymore so; something must have happened.

"Now, explain the reason behind that kiss." He said.

"Simple. You were being impulsive." I turned around and started walking towards the castle. He ran to catch up with me and took my arm. He forced me to look at him.

"You mean to tell me that you felt nothing?" He asked, surprised and a little agitated.

I had to lie just to get him to stop bothering me about this. "No." I said as I pushed his hands away from my arms and started walking away.

"I can see that you're lying. You _did_ feel something. And frankly, so did I." He said as he started walking with me again.

"You really don't give up, do you? I'm not lying. I really didn't feel anything. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to get going." I said as I walked even faster than before. As soon as I entered the grounds, I went for the nearest passageway and gave the password. I walked through the portrait and arrived in the Grand Staircase. I raced to the Gryffindor Common Room and gave the password quickly. As the painting moved, I pushed the painting aside so that I could enter the Common Room faster but the painting wouldn't budge.

I ran towards the Girls' Dormitory but I heard someone say something from behind me. I didn't care. I ran up the stairs and wanted to lie on my bed as soon as possible. When I decided to slump on my bed, I turned on the side and looked at my nightstand in utter disappointment. I was such an idiot.

"Jamie, what's wrong?" I heard Malco say from behind me. Some tears started to wind up in the corner of my eyes. I shouldn't let this affect me. He's just a guy.

"I'd rather not talk about it right now." I admitted, barely over a whisper. I felt Malco jump on my side and jump back on my bed, just inches from my face. He looked at me with sad eyes.

"Is there something I can do?" He asked as he sat on the bed.

"Just please stay with me. Somehow, I don't want to be alone." I said sadly. Malco was always the one that I could count on to help me relax. He slid his small body under my arm and laid under my arm as I started to close my eyes. I was a little tired and didn't feel like going to supper. I just wanted to stay here and think. That's how I spent my night.

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**Bellacullenswan17**

10


	10. Secrets

**Alright so here's another chapter!!! Review!!! PLEASE!!!**

**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter!!!**

Chapter 10

Secrets

I spent days without talking to Daniel. In the Common Room, I would pass by him many times but he would never say hello or shoot a glance my way. Most of the time, Malco tried to make me feel better, which worked at some moments but others, not so much. Ever since that kiss, I haven't been the same. Most of the time, I feel lost. And I didn't know why. Maybe that connection I had with Daniel did something to me that made me change.

My friends noticed that I had changed since I was with Daniel. But they wouldn't mention my behaviour, even though I knew it affected them too. At some moments, Hermione tried to talk to me but I always made an excuse that I had to leave. Somehow, Daniel had changed my heart for the worse.

One afternoon, about a month before Christmas, Hermione approached me again. "Jamie, you've been down for days. What's the matter?" She asked as I walked in the snow. I was trying to make it to the waterfront—which was frozen by now because of the change in the seasons—but Hermione insisted on following me.

"Sorry. I don't mean to be this upset."

"Something happened that day with Daniel. What happened?"

"He…" Could I actually tell her? Could I tell her that a man like Daniel Stromb had kissed me without any reasons? "He made an impulsive action towards me. He kissed me."

"Daniel Stromb?! That doesn't sound like him. Normally, he doesn't snuggle with the girls. He mostly flirts with them." Hermione explained. We had stopped and decided to sit on a rock, surprisingly that wasn't covered with snow. I looked at her with a surprised expression. So he really wasn't playing with me. "But why are you upset? Did something happen?"

"I… I felt something. Something happened during the kiss that I can't explain." I tried to explain it as much as possible. But it was hard to explain. "It was like… I felt a connection that was tugging at my heart, or something."

"Strange… But how was it?" She asked happily.

"Extraordinary… It's like I never felt anything like that before in my life. He put so much passion behind it. But he's only known me for a few weeks. How could one kiss mean so much?" I tried to say. It wasn't coming out right.

"It all depends on how you feel about this man. Do you like him?"

"I… I don't know. I guess I do."

"Then maybe that connection was a sign."

"A sign of what?" Now, she was making me curious.eHeHù

"That Daniel might feel the same way about you. How did he do it? What were his gestures?" She wanted to know every detail, just like any good friend would do.

"Well, he took my shoulders and started leaning in. First, he just put his forehead against mine but afterwards, he started to lean in for the kiss. It was like… he wasn't sure if that's what he should be doing or not. But afterwards, he wrapped me in his arms and kissed me. That's when I felt it. But… I stopped the kiss short." I explained as much as I could. I bent my head after I stopped my sentence.

"Why?" She asked curiously, not out of shock.

"Because I couldn't let him continue. There's something that's stopping me from making friends, or even getting in a relationship." I explained. I was trying to hide my scar with my hair.

"Is it because of your scar?"

I turned my head quickly towards her. How did she know? And I tried so hard to hide it. "How did you…?"

"I saw a glimpse of it in the hospital wing. But a scar shouldn't stop you from having all of those things." She explained with a soothing voice.

"Hermione, one glimpse of my scar just says I've got something on my neck. You have to know the story behind it. You have to understand."

"Then help me understand." She really wanted to help me. And she thought that this was the easiest way possible.

I sighed and decided I should let her in on it. I took my long hair in my hands and moved it so the back of my neck was visible. She looked at it and gasped. "I know; this isn't an ordinary scar."

"Why is it in the shape of fire?" She asked.

"I don't know much about this scar. I just know it covers most of my neck. Every time someone takes a look at it, they ask me what happened to me. And I tell them the truth. I tell them that I got this when I was born. My parents had told me that this scar would save my life one day. But I don't know from what. People judge me because of this scar. They think the worst of me and that's the reason why I don't have any friends. That's why I don't get involved in anything." I explained sadly. "That's why I stopped the kiss early." I stood up from the rock and walked a little to look at the frozen waterfront. You could see the frozen water from where I stood and it was quite lovely.

"Is this why you were so distant when school started?" She asked as she approached me slowly. "Because you were afraid I would be like everyone else?"

"You have to admit Hermione that it was a possibility."

"Jamie, you have to understand that I don't judge others by what they have. I judge them by what they do." She said calmly with a smile.

"Well, you have been a good friend to me since I've been here. I guess I can accept that there are people like you. Like Luna and Harry and that lot." I said with a smile as I started to walk towards the castle.

"You should give Daniel that same chance." She said.

"Alright, I'll give him a chance. But what I just told you is private. You can't tell anyone."

"I won't. You can trust me." She said as we walked towards the castle grounds at a fast pace. As we walked, I looked down at my feet for an instant. In that same instant, I bumped into someone. I looked up to find I had bumped into Professor Snape.

"Miss Karsson, I strongly suggest you start looking where you're going." He said with his monotone cold voice. He looked at me with those cold eyes. I shouldn't mess with him. I knew I would get in trouble if I did.

"I'm sorry Professor. I should have looked where I was walking." I apologized.

"Make sure it doesn't happen again." He said as he stood there, looking me over.

"Yes sir." I said as I started walking. As I left Professor Snape's side, a strong gust of wind blew at the side of my face. I looked over my shoulder and Professor Snape hadn't moved. But now, he was looking at me with a surprised expression. It made me curious as to what had happened to him in the second I started walking. I looked in front of but I heard his voice.

"Miss Karsson, kindly make your way back here." I stopped in my tracks. I turned around and I saw him look at me with that same shocked expression. I looked at Hermione and she shrugged.

"I'll see you later Hermione." I mentioned before I walked back towards Professor Snape. She started walking back slowly towards the castle but would turn her head often to look at me. I stood in front of Professor Snape and looked at him. "Yes sir?"

"Please step back a few feet." He asked.

"Um… is there a reason?"

"Step back, Miss Karsson." He ordered in a firm voice. I did what I was told and walked backwards to stand a few feet away from him. What was he trying to do? I never would understand teachers.

"May I ask what's wrong, Professor?" I asked, almost screamed. He took out his wand and pointed it at me. What was he planning on doing? And was I going to be the target practice? "Um… Professor?" Now, he was scaring me.

"_Avada Kedavra_!" He said and a green light shot out of his wand.

My eyes opened wide as the curse was shot directly at me. It hit me right in the chest and sent me flying backwards. I felt something pulsing in the back of my neck as I landed hard on the floor. I felt a lot of pain and tried not to move much. But… how could I still be alive? _Avada Kedavra_ was one of the unforgiveable curses. That curse was the killing curse. It killed anyone who was touched by it. And I didn't understand why I was dead at this very moment. I tried to sit but it was slightly painful. Professor Snape started walking towards me but showed no emotions.

"That spell is illegal, Professor. Especially on a student." I informed him as I tried to sit up. Maybe something went wrong when he said the spell.

"You're right Miss Karsson, but as you have just witnessed, you're a very special student. Most likely, that curse should have killed you. But here you stand, looking up at me." He said in his monotone voice. Why was he telling me this?

"Is there a reason why you're informing me about this, Professor?" I asked curiously. What was he talking about? When that curse hit me, my scar started to sting a little. I started scratching the back of my neck. That simple action was surprising painful to do.

"Maybe Professor Dumbledore can help you understand." He said as he grabbed my sleeve and started dragging me across the snow covered hill. As we arrived in the courtyard of the school, Professor Snape dragged me to a secret passageway. It was the same secret passageway I had used to escape from Daniel on our date. He said the password and in a matter of seconds, we were standing on the Grand Staircase.

"Professor, why are you pulling me against my will?" I asked as he dragged me up the stairs. We were on the sixth floor when he decided to stop and let me go. He turned around and looked at me with his dark eyes.

"Miss Karsson, if you won't get it through your thick head that you have this supernatural gift, then perhaps Professor Dumbledore might help talk some sense into your snivelling incompetent brain." He said rudely. "Now, start walking before I'm forced to do it for you." This man was really testing my patience. I wasn't incompetent and he didn't have the right to say this like this to a student.

I started walking as he ordered and in minutes, we were in front of a large golden gargoyle statue. "_Fizzing Whizbee_." Snape mentioned before the statue started to rotate in the direction of a clock. It un-winded and a staircase appeared under the statue. Amazing…

"Whoa…" I said but Professor Snape pushed me forward and I was forced to step on the staircase. It mode upward and I was brought to a dark green wooden door. Snape opened the door and it revealed a large circular room that had many windows and a whole lot of portraits—which I guessed were old headmasters and headmistresses. There were many tables with delicate looking silver instruments placed on them. They made a lot of noise and some of them even made small puffs of smoke.

Close to what I assumed was Professor Dumbledore's desk was a long bird stood, which had a beautiful phoenix standing on it. On my right side stood a large circular—and apparently very shallow—stone basin with runes and symbols I had never seen before on the stone. "Double whoa…" I said to myself again as I walked in front of me.

"Jamie, Professor Snape. What a charming surprise." A tall man with a long silver beard and brilliantly ancient blue eyes that contained kindness and maybe mischief said. This man wore half-moon spectacles and a lovely silver robe around his thin frame.

"Professor Dumbledore." I cordially said.

"Sir, you wished to see us."

"Yes, thank you Severus. Now, I would like to speak to Miss Karsson here, alone if you don't mind." Professor Dumbledore said as he approached us.

"As you wish, headmaster." Professor Snape said before leaving the office. I watched Professor Snape leave with a nasty look. After a while, I turned my head to look at Professor Dumbledore.

"Professor, why am I here?" I asked.

"Jamie, I asked Professor Snape to ask you a few questions. I hope Professor Snape didn't give you a rough time." He said as he went to sit down at his desk. I followed at a slow pace.

"Depending on your definition of rough…" I said, more to myself than to the Professor. He seemed to have heard what I had just said.

"What might you be implying?"

"Well, I can't say that he was gentle about bringing me here, Professor." I added. "I'm not trying to say anything against anybody but…"

"It's perfectly fine Jamie. I admit that Professor Snape is not the most gentle of person. But what exactly did he do?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

"He used the killing curse on me." Right after I stopped speaking, Professor Dumbledore looked at me with a shocked and worried expression.

"And did you manage to avoid it?" He asked as he stood up from his chair and came towards me slowly.

"No. It hit me right on. Professor, I'm supposed to be dead at the moment. Why aren't I?" I asked. This was frightening me beyond reason.

He pondered on that question for a while. I just kept looking at him with a frightened expression. He looked at me and removed a few strands of hair from my neck. I turned my head so that he could see my scar. I knew that's what he was looking for. "Jamie, there are some marks more powerful than any spell in this world. Even You-Know-Who can't imagine the power behind most marks. And your scar is one of them. Your scar holds great power, the power of protection." He started explaining in a soft voice. "Your scar holds the power to protect you from the unforgiveable curses."

"So, you're telling me…" I was having trouble breathing now. This was too much to handle at the moment. I placed my hand on my forehead to try and get all of this information in my head. "That I can't die?"

**OOOOHHHH!!! So what did you think?? Review!!!**

**Bellacullenswan17**

10


	11. Truth Revealed

**Alright guys I know I haven't updated in a while but here it is!!! Hope you like it. READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!!!**

**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter!!!**

Chapter 11

Truth revealed

"From the curses, yes. But you are not immune to every spell," Dumbledore explained. I couldn't believe this… I heard about Harry's fortunate accident when he was only a year old. But to be able to survive every single curse thrown at me, that was just… somewhat inhuman.

"But… how can that be?" I asked numbly. This was too much to handle. If I couldn't die because of these curses, then maybe it wasn't safe for me to stay in school. People would come after me just because they know what I can do.

"I know what you're thinking, Jamie. It's a very powerful scar you're bearing. That's why this must stay a secret. If word spreads out that someone with your type of gift roams the school grounds, there is no way of assuming who could come after you. They want your gift. And they will stop at nothing to obtain it," Dumbledore informed me. This could not be happening to me. I didn't deserve this scar. Others needed to be saved from the curses more than me. This was not something that I should carry.

"Isn't there some way to get rid of it? I mean… there's no way that I should be the one to have this bloody curse!"

"You think that scar is a curse?" Dumbledore asked calmly but dumbfounded. He didn't believe I should think this way.

Well, what other way was there to look at this?

"Well, it sure isn't a thrill ride. I don't deserve to bear this! There… there has to be some way to remove it," I answered in a rush. All of this was too overwhelming. At this point, nothing could make me feel better. A curse this powerful was not something that should be given to someone like me, who never was able to help anyone else but herself.

"I'm afraid there is no way to remove it. No one has ever found something quite like this," Dumbledore answered as he stepped towards me and placed his old fingers on my scar. It didn't feel right to have it behind my neck. He removed it shortly afterwards and looked at me with sympathetic eyes. "I'm sorry Jameson but this gift is a part of you. Your parents must have known that Voldemort would be after you and they wanted to protect you in the best way imaginable."

"There's no way to call this a gift," I plainly said. And it was the truth. In what way was this curse a gift? Sure it could save my life but it didn't belong on my neck. My eyes glistened with tears as I closed my eyes and looked away from the old headmaster.

But Dumbledore didn't say anything else for that matter. It shocked me that one with so much wisdom would ever have nothing to say. "I'm sorry Jamie but I do believe I am holding your potions class. You should be heading out. And remember my warning. Dark forces will try to come after you for your gift. Try to prevent anyone from knowing this factor," He warned me but somehow, it didn't seem right. Something was going to happen and very soon.

Grabbing my bag that had apparently fallen at my feet, I whipped the tears away and looked at Professor Dumbledore with a fake smile. "Of course Professor. Thank you for the information," I answered before leaving the office and heading to my potions class, tears falling down my cheeks on the way there.

How could anyone bare such a dangerous and powerful curse? Surely this was some sick joke that Professor Dumbledore was trying to pull on me. But then again, Professor Dumbledore was not one that could joke around about something this serious. Nothing could make this day any worse. And if Hermione or any of my other friends found out about this, they could very well reject me, just like anyone else. Great turnout.

Just when I thought that settling into Hogwarts would be a good thing, something had to go and ruin it. At some point, you would think that my bad luck would fade but I guess not. Some tears started pouring down even more and there was no possible way that anyone would see my face like this, all red and puffy. Running to the bathroom, the tears finally came out more distinctly and I cried for a few minutes. Everything was all so overwhelming. No one could ever keep a secret like this, not even me. Placing my hands on my face, my mind recalled everything that Professor Dumbledore had told me.

"_If word spreads out that someone with your type of gift roams the school grounds, there is no way of assuming who could come after you. They want your gift. And they will stop at nothing to obtain it._" That was what he told me. Voldemort would come after me and Death Eaters would come at the school. Everyone was in danger while I stood here.

"Is someone having a bit of a hard day?" A woman's voice said, mist covering her voice. Removing my hands from my face and turning my head towards the voice, I noticed that a female ghost had appeared right beside the window. She stared at me and approached me shortly after.

"Who… who are you?" I asked, my voice cracking from the tears.

"Moaning Myrtle. And what are you doing, standing here in _my_ bathroom?!" Looking around, I found that there were cobwebs and dust all over the mirrors. When was the last time that someone had come in here? And what did she mean by _her _bathroom? She wore the Hufflepuff gown, which means she must have been a former student.

"And why in bloody hell should I explain myself to you? And frankly, no one can _own_ a bathroom. It can be used by anyone," I exclaimed frustratingly. If this kept going, I'd probably be late for Defence Against the Dark Arts and Professor Snape would surely yell at me for sure. And today was not my day. No one could get me angry. "It belongs to everyone."

Suddenly, water spluttered out of the fountain and from the sinks, splashing my face with dirty water. Luckily, none of it fell on my clothes. They were clean while my face was all wet. The water stopped splashing a few seconds later and an angry Moaning Myrtle looked at me, anger flashing in her dead eyes.

"I suggest you leave now," She replied acidly. Well, I didn't need to be told twice what to do. Grabbing my bag once more off the soaked ground, I hurried out of the washroom and headed towards the DADA class. In a few minutes, the class stared at me and my watch told me that I was twenty-three minutes late. No surprise there. With everything that happened, it wasn't a surprise that being tardy was on my list.

Taking a large sigh, my hand reached for the door and pushed it open unhappily and Snape looked towards me and the door. And he didn't look very jolly. "Very kind of you to join us Miss Karsson. Now, take your seat before I give you a three thousand word essay to write for tonight," He warned as he turned his attention back to the board. He wrote a few words on the board as I took my seat beside Hermione, who looked quite worried as she looked at my tear-streaked face.

"Are you alright?" She asked worriedly.

"Yes… just not in the right mood," I admitted before Snape turned his attention back to the class, stepped away from the board and looked at me mostly. What was the matter with him today? He had already showed me the power behind my curse and brought me to Professor Dumbledore so he could explain the power behind my curse. Of course this class was not going to end well.

Looking at the board, my eyes fell upon the four words he had written. _Curses, signs and blessings_. Oh no. "Now students, today we have a special class. Curses are types of spells that have the most negative effects. When using a curse, it is implied with the intention to inflict pain, control someone or even bring death to the victim. With blessings, it's the contrary. Some blessings come in certain signs. But there is one particular sign that has come to my attention lately. Someone," He started eyeing me carefully as he spoke. If I knew Snape, he'd use me as an example and Professor Dumbledore clearly stated that no one was to know of my little… curse, "has been given a certain blessing as you could faintly call it and I would like all of you to witness this blessing."

Oh god… this was not going to end well.

"Miss Karsson, could you step up here please?" Snape asked and a loud gulp was heard from my part. He wouldn't dare do this, not in front of everyone. "Miss Karsson." He eyed me angrily now.

I didn't say anything. Nothing could save me now. Hermione looked at me carefully and worriedly while I advanced towards the board nervously. Standing next to Snape, my eyes glanced over every student in the classroom. They all looked either confused, worried or—as in Malfoy's case—happy. "Now, Miss Jameson will demonstrate for us the effects of this certain sign. Take a few steps back, Miss Jameson," He ordered me and reluctantly, I obeyed. Unfortunately, there was no choice. I had to obey or it was a three thousand word essay on my part and a long lecture from Professor Dumbledore.

"Sir, you can't—"

"Watch as Miss Jameson evades Death's grip," He mentioned before pointing his wand straight at me and pronounced the Avada Kedavra curse.

"NO!" I heard Hermione scream as the jet of green light erupted from Snape's wand and hit me straight in the chest, sending me flying backwards onto the hard floor once more. Did every teacher want me to feel pain? Once my back hit the floor, my body rolled once on my side and my 'lifeless' body lay there still, hoping everyone thought that I no longer lived. My eyes stayed closed and, even though it pained me, my breathing stopped. I couldn't stay like this for very long. No one could hold their breath forever. "Jamie!" Hermione screamed; her voice cracking as she screamed my name.

No one could find out about this curse. Dumbledore had specified it. But… how was it possible to evade the obvious? Snape would leave me on the floor, waiting until I caught my breath and everyone would find me alive. "How could you use the unforgivable curse on her Professor?! It's forbidden!" Hermione screamed once more. She was crying; that much was obvious. Bloody hell… Did I have to cause everyone such pain today? It surely was not my best day.

"Stand up Miss Karsson," Snape ordered and reluctantly, I disobeyed, wondering if there were severe consequences to my actions. And when he ordered me again to stand, my body still lay motionless on the floor. Hermione's cries could be heard over the thundering of the classroom. Everyone was going wild. Some were screaming that I was dead, or some were cheering Professor Snape on a good job. Most of the cheering was done by the Slytherin table, obviously run by Malfoy. He was quite the loathsome kid.

But as the cheering and screaming continued, Professor Snape did something quite bold and dangerous.

He repeated the killing curse repeatedly every few seconds and it hit me quite harshly every time. Snape must have used it several times before Hermione screamed and her loud footsteps could be heard coming towards me. "Stop it! Haven't you done enough damage?!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. I snuck a peek at the scene in front of me, knowing that no one would pay much attention to me, and found Snape pointing his wand at Hermione. He was going to use the killing curse on her, who stood right in front of me.

She couldn't get killed, not because of me.

"NO!" I screamed and stood in front of her, catching everyone's attention. Some gasped at the sight of my sudden awakening but most of the room just looked at me in fright. I was now the new school freak. "Don't you dare hurt her," I warned in an angry tone. Snape just looked at me evilly. This was all part of his plan.

"Now everyone, witness this young girl's curse," Professor Snape answered and everyone just stared. Obviously, he wanted this to play out his way. Well, if he wanted to win so badly, he could win proudly.

I grabbed my things and headed out of the class, everyone's stares back on me. Well, I guess it was time to move schools again.

**Alright so what did you think of this update? Hope it was good. I had quite the writer's block on it and since I don't believe in Author notes, then there was no other choice than to play it out. So please REVIEW!!!!**

**Bellacullenswan17**

8


	12. Freak

**Alright everyone, I know it's been a little while but here's the next chapter. Enjoy!!! READ AND REVIEW!!!**

**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter!!!**

Chapter 12

Freak

I ran out of Hogwarts as fast as possible, tears welling in my eyes. That was it. Professor Snape had just told everyone in the class that I couldn't die. They would all think that my curse made me a freak, like everyone else did. It was finally time to change lives. Packing wouldn't be that hard. No one would miss me. Everyone would love to get rid of me. Sitting down on the same rock as this afternoon, tears pooled out of my eyes, the pain trickling down my face. What else could go wrong in my life?

"Why me?" I asked myself as the tears ran down my face. Burying my head in my hands, I sobbed uncontrollably while the snow flakes fell on my jumper.

"Jamie!" A female screamed in the distance as my cries continued. When hearing the voice, I looked back towards the castle to find Hermione looking around the grounds for me. Why in the bloody hell would she want to find me? I'm the school freak, something that shouldn't even be kept alive. Her eyes landed upon my crying face and she screamed a: "Jamie!" before running towards me at full speed. Hermione had just witnessed my 'death' and she looked incredibly scared back then. Now, it looked like she was relieved.

"Oh bloody hell…" I mumbled to myself as she ran up to me and enveloped me in a bone crushing embrace. Didn't she want to scream at me and tell me I'm an abomination?

"Jamie! I thought you… well… I thought you were gone! Why didn't you do anything to prove me wrong?!" She practically screamed at me as more tears ran down her face. She was weeping because of me. Did I have to hurt _everyone_ I cared for? Bloody hell… Someone should just kill me now! "Don't scare me like that ever again!" Hermione exclaimed in her British accent.

"Believe me, I won't be scaring the bloody hell out of anyone anymore…" I mumbled to myself, hoping she wouldn't ponder on the thought. But, knowing Hermione, she would. Walking away from her, I walked towards the shore, hoping to fall under the ice and be forgotten forever. Great, now my thoughts were bloody suicidal! What the blood hell was wrong with me?! I'm such a freak!

"What are you implying, Jamie?"

"I obviously don't belong here anymore! So, I'm doing everyone the bloody favour and leaving!" I exclaimed as she approached me. Her gasp of shock made me turn my head towards her. "Hermione, it's better for everyone."

She wasn't convicted in the slightest. "No, it's not!"

"Yes, it is! Face it; no one wants a freak such as myself, now that they know what happens with the unforgiveable curses. I was just going to go pack when you showed up," I said, not intending to sound so rude towards her. She seemed taken aback by my sudden rudeness so, I composed myself and said: "I'm sorry. I'm just a little sad, that's all. It was wrong of me to take my anger out of you," before walking towards the castle.

But what Hermione said next shocked me enough to stop.

"Your scar is glowing," She muttered and I stopped, trying to look at it but only found a green glow to it. So, this was the aftermath of having this ability to stay alive.

"Yes, yes it is. No one should have known about this… This curse was supposed to stay a secret!" I muttered to myself while walking towards the castle. But Hermione caught my wrist and made me stop.

"Jamie, don't leave," She pleaded as she looked at me with those warm brown eyes, glistening with tears. "Christmas is coming soon. Please come with us to the Burrow. The Weasleys would love to have you along. Please," She pleaded as tears poured down her face even more. It took everything I had to look away from her and sigh.

"Hermione, it might not be such a good—"

"Please," She begged once more.

"Maybe we should talk to Ron about this first, instead of just inviting me when you shouldn't," I answered and a smile formed on her face and she seemed to have cheered up so much in that one sentence. "I didn't say yes!"

"But it's a start. Let's see Ron now," She mentioned as she grabbed my arm and we ran into the school. Every student at Hogwarts was looking at me horrified. They actually thought I was a large freak. Oh bloody hell! I shouldn't even be here. If Hermione hadn't had that strong of a hold on my wrist, I would have run off a bloody long time ago.

As we passed the students and went up the stairs to the seventh floor, Hermione and I went to the painting and even she looked shocked to see me. Looking away, Hermione recited the password and we entered the Gryffindor Common Room. There weren't many students in the Common Room but when they saw me, they all stared and walked out of the room towards the staircases. "Hermione, I should leave," I said, looking away from anyone.

"No you shouldn't. Ignore the others. What matters is that your friends won't judge you," Hermione said as Harry, Ron and the Twins came in the Common Room.

"Who won't we judge?" Fred asked curiously.

George nudged him and whispered something in his twin's ear. Recognition filled Fred's face as he looked at me and he shot me a sympathetic smile. Looking away from him, tears welled up in my eyes and I tried to yank my hand from Hermione's grasp gently but she wouldn't budge.

"We heard what happened," Harry mentioned sympathetically.

"Well, since you heard about my bloody curse, then you wouldn't want to be seen with the school freak," I said while yanking my hand free and walking away from everyone and running up to the Girls' Dormitory. Malco saw me and immediately had a worried face plastered on that cute cat face of his.

"What's the matter?" He asked, knowing that no one was here and probably no one was going to come in here, especially with me in the room.

"They know," I muttered while walking towards him and grabbing a small backpack, filling it with a few pieces of clothes and placing it in. It wouldn't matter where I go, as long as people would forget about me.

"They know what?"

"Professor Snape bloody used the killing curse on me and it just so happens that I can't die from the unforgettable curses. Now, everyone thinks I'm the biggest freak ever! So, I'm leaving," I said when finishing up my backpack. "It's your choice if you want to come as well. I will never force you to do anything."

He looked at me with concerned eyes and hesitated for a minute before answering: "Wherever you go, I go. Your parents wanted me to protect you and obviously, I'm not doing my job." But he still jumped on my shoulder and together, we walked out of the Girls' Dormitory, walked downstairs and saw that the gang had settled on the couches.

They looked up when I walked downstairs and sadness filled their eyes. "Jamie, you're not thinking of leaving, are you?" Harry asked me as they all approached me. I closed my eyes and looked away from them, a few tears ran down my cheeks.

"No one wants me around, especially now with this bloody curse of mine. It's best for everyone if I leave," I answered and tried to make a break for it but Fred and George blocked my path. Malco snarled at them and I petted his head, trying to soothe him. Although, he didn't calm down. No one wanted an angry-looking Malco on their hands. "Easy there Malco, they won't hurt me… not that I know of."

"How can you even think that?! Bloody hell!" Ron exclaimed.

Malco calmed down and nuzzled his nose into my neck, trying to calm me down. Because of Ron's exclaimed, I cringed away, hoping they wouldn't judge me. But obviously, they were. "Ron, please. It's bad for everyone if I stay here."

"We don't believe that," Hermione said.

"You might not believe it, but I do. Danger is just around the corridor if I stay here. Dumbledore said so himself," I explained as Harry looked at me for an explanation. Sighing, I started telling them what Dumbledore had told me. "When Snape stopped me outside of the castle, he used the killing curse on me and found me alive." Mostly everyone gasped at that. "He brought me to Dumbledore and left just as soon. Snape knew what this curse could do to me and had plans to prove it to everyone afterwards. That's what he did in the DADA class. But Dumbledore filled me in about this special curse of mine.

"Dumbledore told me that I was unable to die from the unforgiveable curses; that all three of them were pretty much useless when they hit me. Hermione, you saw what happened in class. But during that whole time you thought I was dead, I was pretending. Professor Dumbledore told me not to tell anyone and unfortunately, some of the staff didn't quite hear about that."

"But why are we in danger?" Harry asked.

"Because… dangerous people could come to Hogwarts and try to steal my curse. They would use it against evil. V… Voldemort would be after me and would kill anyone standing in his way. And I don't want anyone to die because of me! Which is why I'm leaving," I explained while trying to make another break for it but, once again, the Twins stopped me.

"We can handle ourselves. Jamie, if you leave and Voldemort comes after you, there won't be anyone to protect you," Hermione said as she came over to me and hugged me deeply.

"I can take care of myself."

"But you shouldn't have to. Hermione informed me that she invited you to my house for Christmas," Ron said and I sighed ashamed. Why did Hermione have to tell him something like that? He must be absolutely furious with me for ever thinking of coming to his home for the holidays. It wasn't my place.

"I'll go to my foster parents for the holidays. I'm terribly sorry for ever thinking about it," I said sadly while trying to compose myself for them.

"It's alright, I would be happy if you came with us. Mum would love it as well. She loves having new people at her house. It's as if she loves everything and everyone," Ron mused.

"True," Fred said with a smile.

"So very true," George retorted with a happy smile. With their enthusiasm, I smiled as well, making them all happy.

"So, will you come to the Burrow with us?" Hermione asked, knowing that Ron was in complete agreement with her. It seemed as though Harry was getting closer to Hermione. Were they… an item? Or close to it?

Considering how much danger I could put them in, I composed myself and spoke frankly. "I'll stay for Christmas but I'll spend New Year's Eve and Day with my foster parents," I answered sadly. Everyone cheered and seemed to forget everything about my curse. But unfortunately, I couldn't. They were all in trouble by even staying near me. What if Voldemort somehow got past Dumbledore and came to me, wanting my curse? Everyone at this school was in trouble.

All because of me.

But I would forget about that for the time being. Now, it was almost time to celebrate.

**So, what did you think? Hopefully you liked the small chapter. Please REVIEW!!!**

**Bellacullenswan17**

7


	13. The Burrow

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Chapter 13

The Burrow

Three weeks had already passed and it was time to leave for the holiday break. Hermione had tried to cheer me up as best as possible but it was quite difficult. Most of the students still wouldn't get anywhere near me and almost all of them looked at me with horrified looks, as if I would ever hurt any of them. But I wasn't the one who would hurt them. It would be Voldemort, if he ever found me and tried to get my curse.

Yes, the mark on my neck isn't a gift. It's a bloody curse!

Ever since Professor Snape's little demonstration in class, things had gone downhill. It seemed like Daniel wanted to stay away from _me_, not the opposite. We would pass by each other often during our classes and in the Common Room but he just looked at me with sadness and hesitation. Oh, how I wish someone would just kill me already! Or maybe if Voldemort found me, I would just ask for death and he would just do it. Oh dear lord… I've become suicidal since Dumbledore told me about my curse! Bloody lovely…

Ron had invited me to the Burrow—apparently, that was the name of his home but I won't judge—and it saddened me to think about it. Would they really want a freak in their home? Especially during the holidays? Probably not.

"Hermione, are you sure that this is such a smart idea? I would just be a bother to every—" I tried to explain to her as we were packing but she interrupted me immediately.

"Jamie, this is a splendid idea. It will lighten your mood. Besides, Ron already informed his mother and she's thrilled to see you," Hermione admitted when she finished packing. Unfortunately, I was slow and hesitating most of the time. I'd informed my foster parents that the Weasleys had invited me to their home for Christmas and my foster mother thought it was a wonderful idea. But once again, it was unfortunate that I thought it was a terrible idea.

"But Hermy, I'm—"

"Hermy? Did you steal that name from Harry?"

That took me by surprise. "Harry calls you Hermy? Sounds romantic," I admitted with a smile when continuing to pack my clothes.

"He has been egging me on to try and go to dinner with him in Hogsmeade. But…"

"What the bloody hell is holding you back? Harry is fantastic. And you two would be the perfect couple," I assured and she seemed to smile. Hermione was an open book. It was easy to see her emotions in her eyes. And, of course, she had strong feelings for Harry. "Go for it."

"Maybe it should wait after we return from the holidays." She was avoiding the issue. Harry probably felt the same way for her.

"How about during? I can't see why you're putting this off," I admitted when finally finishing my suitcase. We hadn't brought much. Of course, since I've been stuck in a Muggle household, my foster parents decided it was a good idea to give me a laptop for research and entertainment. So, that was one of the main things to place in my suitcase. There wasn't any reception for internet so, my foster parents didn't have any news from me in the past months but they learned to live with it a few years ago. "He must be feeling the same way for you."

She snorted and turned her head towards me. "When the time comes, I will ask him. But until then, you should think about asking Daniel. He seems to have changed since you arrived to Hogwarts," Hermione admitted and my cheeks became burning red. I looked away from her immediately, grabbed my luggage and sat on my bed.

"He doesn't even want to talk to me. Ever since that bloody incident in DADA class, he hasn't even glanced a peek at me," I admitted with a frown. "And besides, things have changed these days…"

"Jamie, I've spoken to Daniel just a few days ago." My head snapped up to face her.

"And you're telling me this now?! Why did you keep this bloody piece of information from me?" I asked her sadly. She would never keep secrets without a good reason. Well, what was her good reason this time? I'd spill it out of her eventually.

She hesitated, grabbed her suitcase and made a run for the doorway. "I'll explain in the train," Hermione mentioned and left me in the Girls' Dormitory stunned. Malco came to stand beside me and looked up to find my face still in shock.

"I'm taking that she won't tell you about the big talk?" He pondered and my eyes snapped towards him.

"Oh trust me; she's going to get a mouthful from me. And besides, she does have a point. If we don't go to the train station fast, we're going to be bloody late." Malco jumped up on my shoulder and we both walked out of the Girls' Dormitory, hoping to catch up to Hermione fast. That girl would not keep this bloody secret from me.

* * *

Unfortunately, when we arrived at the train station, Hermione and the others had already found their carts and left me here alone. Well, it would have happened one way or another. "Jamie, get a move on!" Someone shouted from the front of the train. Following the voice, I saw Ginny waving at me to come towards the train. Grabbing my luggage, I made my way towards the train and we both embarked, sitting in the same cart. My mind pondered the thought that maybe Ginny knew of Hermione's little secret.

Hey, it was worth the shot.

"Ginny, did Hermione mention at all her little talk with Daniel, to you, by any chance?" I asked and Ginny's eyes suddenly snapped open, shocked at my question.

"No! Did she tell you?"

"She ran off before I could get a chance to squeeze the information out of her," I mumbled while sitting back in my seat. Bloody hell! Was I never going to hear this piece of information? It was a shame. Suddenly, Hermione stepped into our cabin and I immediately grabbed her wrist, pulled her in the cart and made her sit down beside me. "Ok, spill," I ordered and she chuckled slightly.

"Alright, he told me that he has wanted to speak with you but never found the right moment, what with all the trouble the other students have been giving you," Hermione explained, which made me very sad.

"It still doesn't give him a reason to start ignoring me," I pouted, slumping in my seat once more to try and salvage the rest of my dignity. Why did every man think it was wise to ignore me when I was in a bad mood? It just made me sad and depressed… "I've been thinking about speaking with him for a while now."

"When we come back from the holidays, he said he'd like to talk to you once more, if you're willing to let him," Hermione informed me and I couldn't help but think about that carefully.

Daniel had kissed me a few weeks ago and since then, we didn't speak to one another. Mainly, that was my fault. But there was no way that this could continue. I had to talk to Daniel at some point in time, if not today then it would be in a few weeks. That kiss had meant so much to the both of us, maybe we could give it a try.

"Alright… I'll speak with him after the holidays," I admitted and Hermione and Ginny smiled at me before speaking with one another for the rest of the trip. Today was going to be interesting; well that's what my gut was telling me.

* * *

We arrived at the Burrow with time to spare. It was mid-afternoon and the snow was falling slowly. It was beautiful. Its white flakes shined in the clouded sun and fell on my clothes, making it slightly wet. A woman with wild orange hair approached us, wearing an apron, a light purple blouse and blue jeans. But she wore a large smile on her face.

"Ronald! You're slightly late," The woman said as she gave him a large embrace and kissed his forehead. It seemed to be his mother. They did have the same traits.

"Sorry Mum, someone took their time getting on the bloody train," Ron said, eyeing me amusingly. But it made me blush and bow my head in shame. So far, this wasn't starting off well.

"I'm truly sorry, Miss Weasley. I didn't mean to—"

"So, you're the friend Ron told me would join us for Christmas. I must say, you're quite the lovely lady, Jamie," Mrs. Weasley mentioned as she came up to me and did the unexpected. She gave me a warm hug. It had been a while since someone had given me a hug this motherly. Last time was when I was five. Don't get me wrong, I love my foster parents but… they weren't my real parents. But Mrs. Weasley made me feel warm and wanted. "Welcome to the Burrow. I'm Molly Weasley and you obviously know most of my sons. But you must meet my husband Arthur. And Charlie as well!" She started ranting in excitement. It made me chuckle. She was the kind of mother I've wanted for all of these years. Suddenly, images started filling my mind. I'd been with my parents when they were killed. Of course, they told me to run and find somewhere safe but I could still see them. The screams from my parents when the Death Eaters tortured them… the look of love when Mom looked at me before a Death Eater used the Killing Curse on her… their frail bodies lying in the street…

For a five year old, it's extremely hard to see.

Cringing at the memory, Mrs. Weasley looked at me worried, so did everyone else. "Are you alright dear?" She asked me, snapping me out of my shocking state.

"Perfectly," I lied, hoping she would buy the lie. She didn't seem to at first but then, brought everyone inside the large house and told us to get warm. But just as I was about to enter, a boy with carrot-colored hair wearing a black and light blue suit and expensive shoes stepped out and looked me over. He sure didn't seem old enough to be Mrs. Weasley's husband but he was old enough to be Ron's brother or cousin.

And he was angry. "How dare you come here and put _my_ family at risk?!" He demanded as he approached me, wand in hand.

"Um… do I know you?" I asked shakily before placing my luggage on the snowy ground and he placed the tip of his wand in the crook of my neck.

"Charlie! What the bloody hell are you doing?!" Ron shouted from the entrance to the house but Charlie blew off the question and just kept staring at me.

"You may not know me but the Ministry knows plenty about you, Jamie. And you bring yourself here when you bloody know you're putting this family at risk! How selfish of—"

"Charlie, I invited her," Ron spoke in order to be heard over his brother's ranting.

"And she's a guest at this house!" Mrs. Weasley replied, slightly angered by her son's behavior. But this was my entire fault. If I hadn't come here, none of this would have ever happened.

"Mum, she's not what she appears to be," Charlie mentioned as he moved the hair from behind my neck slowly and exposed my mark. Closing my eyes, I tried to ignore the looks the Weasleys were giving me. Great… Bloody great! "And since she's here, Death Eaters will come chasing after her! This will lead them to the Burrow!"

"Dear, what is the meaning of this?" Mrs. Weasley asked sweetly.

"Let me demonstrate," Charlie mentioned before removing his wand from my neck and preparing himself to use the killing curse on me. I just stood still. Did it matter if everyone else knew my secret? I'd leave after Charlie demonstrated my curse.

"Charlie, don't—" Hermione tried to scream but it was no use.

"_Avada Kedavra_!" Charlie said and a jet of green escaped from his wand. It came in my direction and hit me across the chest, sending me flying backwards into a tree. The impact hurt more than anything and my head struck the trunk. My face scrunched up in pain but I was certainly alive. Opening my eyes, I found everyone looking at me in shock, as they had never seen anything like me before. But they were afraid; it was easy to see it in their eyes. I stood up shakily—unfortunately, my head felt fuzzy and it was hard to see clearly—and went to fetch my luggage.

Luckily, for the past three weeks in DADA class—after the whole incident with my mark—we'd been studying how to apparate and frankly, I was doing better than anyone in the class. I could apparate anywhere I wanted, unlike most people. It was a surprise Professor Snape was teaching us how to apparate, since it is supposed to be used by highly trained witches and wizards. Well, apparating was an advanced spell.

Malco jumped on my shoulder and I just tried to smile at the lot in front of me. "I'm terribly sorry to interrupt your holidays. I best be off now," I said before apparating to the local train station. Well, that was my attempt. With my head injury, I landed in the bushes a few feet away from the train station. Apparating had made my head dizzy and I sat down, trying to control the spinning.

"Are you alright, Jamie?" Malco asked me, sitting on my knee. That cat of mine was as light as a feather. He could go anywhere he wanted and stay unnoticed.

"My head's fine but my heart's not…" I mumbled mostly to myself. It was true. My heart had started to crush itself in loneliness. No one wanted a freak such as myself and Charlie Weasley proved that as clear as day. A tear ran down my cheek as I pressed a finger to my mark. It hurt. And unfortunately, it must be glowing green. Just bloody perfect! "This month has been the worse in my life…" I whispered to myself as a few more tears ran down my cheek. A throbbing sensation resonated in the back of my head but I ignored it.

"It'll be alright, Jamie. Things will turn up," Malco whispered in my ear as I decided to get up and walk towards the station. It seemed dreary. There was no one around, not even a sound to be heard except my footsteps. Unusual… But I put the thought behind me. It was time to go back home, even if I was putting my foster parents at risk.

"What if it doesn't?" I asked Malco, knowing no one was here to hear us talking, which still gave me the willies. "I'm not wanted anywhere. I'll just to my foster parents' house and tell them I'm leaving somewhere. And no one would have to be at risk." I looked around once more and still found no one. The station was as vacant as ever, which never happened. And that wasn't good. A cold chill ran down my spine and I heard Malco snarl a little. He only did this when there was trouble around. Grasping my wand in my hand, I placed my luggage on a chair and walked away a little, looking out of the corner of my eyes for any sign of movement. "This isn't good. There are always people in here at this time, especially during the holidays. Muggles are off to their families," I whispered to Malco and suddenly saw movement to my right.

Turning around, I saw a man in a black robe with a silver mask approach me, wand at the ready. A gasp escaped my lips. It was a Death Eater. I didn't know if it was the same one that killed my parents ten years ago but I would take any of them on.

But something changed in the air. Looking around, I saw there were four more Death Eaters coming my way. Unfortunately, there was no way I could take on five of them at once. Bloody hell… "What do you want?" I asked, a little of my fear sliding into my voice. But they just kept on approaching me, without stopping. The Death Eaters walked slowly but dangerously.

The fur on Malco's body rose as he snarled at the Death Eaters. I prepared myself for the worse, getting in a protective pose and tried to get my wand out but someone grabbed me from behind, grabbing my arms and making it impossible to escape. Malco tried to snarl at them all but was grabbed by the waist and threw across the room, him hitting the wall in process. "NO!" I screamed but someone held my mouth, making it open forcefully. No one would hurt Malco, not on my watch. But as soon as one of the Death Eaters opened my mouth, another uncorked a vile and poured the liquid down my mouth. The Death Eater holding my mouth closed it and he rubbed my neck, making me swallow forcefully.

There was no effect at first and I felt fine but that didn't mean that it didn't contain any side effects. A Death Eater placed his wand at the crook of my neck, just like Charlie had done only minutes ago, and was about to use a curse on me but a large blast hit him in the back, sending him flying behind me. I looked to my side to see a large cat with black stripes covering most of his white fur and glowing black eyes. The size didn't bother me but it was the glow of his eyes. It seemed as though black mist was coming out of those large eyes.

The feline growled at the Death Eaters and opened his mouth again. This time, a jet of white light erupted from his tongue and hit a Death Eater right in the side. Everyone was dazed at the large feline—and frankly, so was I. Who was that? And what did he/she want with all of us?—but the dazed expressions gave me an opportunity to escape. Hitting the Death Eater holding me in the gut, his hold on me loosened and I was able to escape the circle of Death Eaters and stun most of them. Unfortunately, it brought me closer to the feline.

It looked at me with a saddened expression but sooner than later, it stunned another Death Eater in a second. "I'll protect you Jamie!" The cat answered as it rushed towards the Death Eaters. But I recognized the voice oh so well…

"MALCO?!" I shouted, mostly questioned him as he attacked other Death Eaters with his claws. But as soon as the Death Eaters were snapped out of their daze, they threw curses at my overgrown cat. "No!" I screamed and soon screaming: "_Stupefy!_" at one of the Death Eaters, a red jet of light escaping my wand. But, out of total shock, no curse seemed to affect Malco. It was like it bounced off of him instantly.

I stood beside my cat and attacked the Death Eaters as best as possible but it was tiring. All my strength was almost evaporated when there was two other Death Eaters standing there, ready to fight us.

"You alright?" I asked my cat. We were both panting by now.

"Just fine, you?" He asked, his voice gone deeper than usual, maybe because of his transformation. Malco would have a lot of explaining to do when this was over.

"Bloody peachy," I answered sarcastically as the two Death Eaters separated themselves, one standing in front of Malco and another for me. "Well, might as well finish this off," I said. Malco nodded before pouncing onto his Death Eater and I yelled: "_Stupefy!_" at mine. He dodged it easily and tried to curse me a few times but they would never hit me. I'd dodged them in time. The sound of a train could be heard from far, far away. In just a few minutes, it would be here. I tried to stun the Death Eater a few more times but unfortunately, it used the killing curse on me, sending me flying backwards and sending me onto the tracks, hurting my back in the process from the rails. "Ah!" I exclaimed in pain as the sound of the train came closer and its lights could be seen. It was approaching extremely fast for an ordinary train. And it wasn't stopping.

But I was stuck here in fear. Would it never stop? As it came closer, I heard someone call my name before my shirt was lifted in the air and I wasn't on the railings anymore. The train flew past me and I landed on the floor opposite of the Death Eater's. "Jamie, are you alright?!" Malco asked me from beside me. But unfortunately, I was just too stunned. That train could have run me over, killing me in the process. If it weren't for Malco, I'd be bloody dead! "Jamie!" Malco shouted, trying to get me to wake up from my daze but suddenly, a pain started to envelop my head and neck. As if out of nowhere, a man with a serpentine shaped face and a black robe was in front of me, a white wand in his pale hand. I knew who it was. Voldemort. The lord of all evil.

"Your gift will be mine," Voldemort said as he waved his hand and I had to close my mind. Something was pulling at my neck, directing it towards Voldemort. Oh no. This was the potion they made me drink. It would give Voldemort the opportunity to obtain my curse. But… he…A white and green aura appeared in front of me and was approaching Voldemort slowly. He would _not_ get my curse!

"NO!" I screamed and the aura snapped back towards me, but it did not leave Voldemort empty-handed. A jet of bright green escaped from my mark and slammed right into him, making Voldemort fly backwards into the train and dissolving into mist. My eyes became very droopy as I heard people shouting my name. But my head was too fuzzy to hear anything.

Darkness embedded my vision and soon, I fell backwards and let the darkness consume me.

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**Bellacullenswan17**

12


	14. The mystery that is Malco

**Alright people, so I'm not getting many reviews… actually, no reviews whatsoever. It's really disappointing. But I know that it might be as a result of the lack of updates. I'm really trying to finish this story as quick as possible. Promise. And I'm not giving up on my other stories. So please READ AND REVIEW!!!!**

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Chapter 14

The mystery that is Malco

_I was still in the train station, surrounded by a dozen Death Eaters. And Voldemort was in the middle of the crowd. The Death Eaters circled me and Voldemort approached me at a steady pace. "Your gift will be mine in time," He cooed as his pale hand was raised towards me. Suddenly, all of the Death Eaters used the killing curse on me, making me slip into unconsciousness. But the darkness didn't seem to comprehend the fact that I was supposed to forget everything. The pull at my neck started again and in seconds, I could feel myself fading. NO!_

I woke up in a rush, sitting up in shock. Sweat poured down my face and it looked like I was in a living room. But whose living room was this? "Dear, you're alright. No one is going to harm you," A sweet loving voice responded, snapping me out of my panic attack. Turning my head to the right, I saw Mrs. Weasley kneeling on the side of the couch with a cloth in her hand.

"Mrs. Weasley?" My voice was hoarse and weak. Why was I in her home? And where was everyone else?

"You're alright dear. The Aurors brought you here, to the Burrow, and I've been taking care of you," She explained with a smile as she dipped the cloth in a small basin filled with water. Memories of what happened flooded my mind: Leaving the Burrow… Death Eaters attacking me at the bloody train station… the potion… Malco transforming… almost getting killed by the train… Voldemort trying to get my curse… It seemed to have all flooded back to me in a second. And frankly, it was bloody frightening! I could have been killed right there and then. Never would I have seen Christmas or even my foster parents. Although, if that train would have crushed me, the Death Eaters would have never gotten my curse and the world would have been happier without me.

Placing a hand on my damp forehead, I asked sadly: "How long have I been unconscious?"

"A few hours at best. You should lie down, dearie. It's been quite the long day for you," Mrs. Weasley answered while placing a hand on my shoulder and pushing me back down on the sofa. She placed the wet cloth on my face while I pressed a finger on my mark, only to find pain and a piece of gaze wrapped around my neck. A look of concern passed over Mrs. Weasley's face before she spoke again. "Once the Aurors found you passed out on the floor, they noticed that your neck had been bleeding. We wrapped it quite nicely for you right away once you arrived here," She explained with a slight smile on her motherly face.

But a smile never appeared on mine. Just sadness and sorrow.

"I ruined your holidays," I answered, looking at the wooden ceiling. My voice was monotone and depressed. Mrs. Weasley saw it immediately.

"Nonsense! It obviously appears to me that it's best if you stay here for the holidays," Mrs. Weasley answered as she applied slightly more pressure on my forehead with the cloth, whipping the sweat away from it. She was very kind and seemed to accept people easily. But was it fair to place this wonderful mother and her family in horrible danger?

"But… what about the Death Eaters? They'll come here because of me. You'll be—"

"We are capable of taking care of ourselves. Don't fret. You are staying here. Everyone is thrilled to have you here, my dear."

"Mostly everyone…" I mumbled that last one to myself, but of course, she heard me bloody well.

"I've had a little discussion with Charlie, and he feels horrid for his actions now. He wishes to apologize to you once everyone wakes up tomorrow," She answered as she placed her free hand on my cheek carefully. Mrs. Weasley cared too much about my wellbeing. It made me feel better but a part of me felt extremely worried. Just as I was about to smile, a dangerous thought came to mind. Malco… he was there when…

"My cat! Where is he?! Is he alright?!" I demanded worriedly, sitting up straight but getting an immense case of fatigue from the bloody movement. My mind recalled that with the force of the killing curse from Charlie and the Death Eater, my head had struck the tree _and_ the railing, causing intense pain to shoot through my scalp. They had fixed my back but not my head?! Bloody hell…

"Don't worry so much Jamie, I'm right here," Malco said, jumping on my lap and smiling at me.

A shy smile was now plastered on my face at hearing him speak in front of Mrs. Weasley. How was I going to explain this? Um… I put a spell on my cat to understand him better? Yes, that would work for the meanwhile. "Um… I can explain about this. See—"

"No need to explain, Jamie. Your pet has explained himself to all of us. Well, excluding the kids. They had been asleep by the time you were carried through the door," Mrs. Weasley said with a smile. Wait, he _explained_ himself to them? They saw him in that large form of his?

"Wait, what time is it, Mrs. Weasley?" I asked confusingly. How long had it been since I was in the train station? It was mid afternoon by the time the lot of us had arrived at the Burrow. And with the little incident, it couldn't have been more than fifteen minutes tops since I'd left, which must have given around four o'clock in the afternoon, if my Muggle math was correct.

"Close to midnight, dear."

"Then why aren't you asleep? I'm not someone to miss sleep over," I said, but she seemed to sigh at my comment. Had it been another mistake to speak my mind?

"Jamie, you must stop mistrusting your abilities as a person. If it were one of my children in your position, I would never have bothered about sleeping. Not knowing if you were to wake up, that concerned me. Dear, you were attacked by _five_ Death Eaters. That was a lot of work, for a fifth year student."

"But Harry's done worse than I have."

"Yes, and the moment he came to our house in his second year, it was as if he was already a part of the family. He'd escaped from his uncle and aunt, thanks to my sons. To think that they used that bloody contraption to save Harry…"

"And you believe I'm like Harry? Someone who needs a family?" It seemed that she was heading in that direction with her little speech. But I looked away from her, afraid of the answer. "Just because I have no one else? Just my foster parents?"

A small gasp escaped her lips. "No one had informed me that you were in such a predicament. But… if you stayed with us a little while longer, my husband and I could learn to think of you as one of our own children," She said and my mouth fell open slightly. They hardly knew me and this family was already willing to invite me in. It was miraculous how events could enfold into something incredible.

A slight smile formed on my lips at the thought of being wanted. "Alright, I'll stay." Turning my head towards Malco, his smile erased completely. "And you, you're going to have to explain yourself to me. You've bloody explained your new power to everyone but me, your friend!"

"I'm sorry but there's never been this kind of danger before. Never in my life would I have thought that your gift would have had this large of an impact on the Dark Lord," Malco said and that got me curious.

"You knew about this curse, didn't you?" I asked, wanting more answers now than ever. He bowed his head and tried as much as possible not to look into my dark brown eyes, the same as Daniel. Bloody hell… why was he coming to mind so suddenly?! Shoving him out of my mind, I placed a chin under Malco's chin and turned his head slowly towards me. My cat looked so pained, as if everything that happened to me has scarred his mind forever. "Please tell me. I just want to know as much as possible."

"Yes, I knew about your mark, ever since your parents died. They told me to protect you from anything. And today, I've obviously messed that up."

"Is there something special about my parents that I should know?" We never talked much about my real parents, Malco and I, but when it came up, he tried to brush it off as much as possible.

Malco sighed and spoke up. "I suppose it's time I tell you." He took a deep breath and continued. "Your parents had given me to you as a present, that's all you remember, right?" I nodded but he shook his head. "But that's not the only reason. Sure, they wanted someone to keep you company. They had a feeling that people would tend to stay far away from you but to a certain extent. Your parents wanted you to have a guardian on hand, in case horrible events happened, such as today. You might believe that you have a curse on your hands but it saved your life numerous times," He explained as much as possible.

"But that doesn't mean anything. If I was meant to die, then Snape would have killed me many weeks ago." That seemed to take Mrs. Weasley by surprise. Malco and I had completely forgotten that she was here, listening to the story.

"Professor Severus Snape used the killing curse on you?" She asked dumbfounded, clearly taken aback at the fact that a teacher would use one of the unforgivable curses on a student, much less me. I nodded and turned back to Malco.

"Your parents had wanted to keep your curse a secret as long as possible but it was too much. Professor Snape found out too soon. Somehow, he should not be trusted," Malco answered and that caught me off guard. He didn't like any of the teachers at Hogwarts but why hate Snape even more? "Think about it Jamie, he exposed the secret that Dumbledore clearly told him to keep quiet. He cannot be trusted."

"Well… Snape does seem bloody creepy at some points but…" I hesitated but Malco already held my gaze, making me stop my sentence abruptly.

"Jamie, trust me on this one. He can't be trusted." There was a part of me saying that Malco was one hundred percent correct but… Wait, there are no buts. Even though my cat usually gives horrible advice, this was one time that I could trust him fully.

"I trust you," I answered and began scratching his chin, relaxing him immediately. "But you have to tell me. What are you? No animal can change into a large cat like you did with glowing misty eyes. What was that all about?" I asked and he immediately smiled up at me. Did I catch onto the reality of things already?

"Jamie, when your parents gave me to you on your fifth birthday, it was to protect you from evil. You might not remember this but there was a Death Eater who tried to attack you on your sixth birthday. I changed in front of you and made the Death Eater flee but… unfortunately, he used a strong stunning spell on you and your memory of that night was erased completely. I'm sorry. I tried to protect you as best as possible," He told me sadly, bowing his head in shame. I placed my finger under his chin one again and brought his head up to meet his eyes.

"But that doesn't explain to me what you are," I said with a slight smile.

"I'm a Blaguard Guardian, meaning that I transform into a large feline but still have my personality intact. Everything about me changes but my personality. And I have a little gift of my own…" He turned his head to the side and I found a star-shaped mark on his neck but fur covered most of it. Bloody hell…

"You're…"

"Special? Like you? Yes, my mark shields me from every spell when I am in my Guardian form."

"But it makes you vulnerable during your pet form," I stated matter-of-factly. Malco nodded and I just took him by the waist—which he winced slightly because of the touch—and brought him to my chest. If anything happened to my best friend, I don't know how I would live. "Nothing's going to ever happen to you, I promise," I swore. And that was true. If anyone would mess with Malco, then they would have to deal with me.

"And I promise that, as your Guardian, I'll protect you from anything," He promised as we heard someone sobbing. Turning both of our heads towards the sobbing, we saw Mrs. Weasley's eyes turning red and had her hand over her mouth, trying to control her sobs. We had completely forgotten that she was here. It was a little funny to think that she had heard our personal conversation.

"It's so… sweet!" She said before collapsing into soft happy tears. Malco and I looked at each other before laughing a little, trying not to wake the others. At some point, Daniel came back to my mind. This was the holidays and I wouldn't see him until afterwards. It was sad, to think that he was with his family far away from the Burrow. But… there was one special gift I had been meaning to give him before, but never had the chance.

"Maybe it should be time for us to go to bed," Malco said and I nodded, trying to get Mrs. Weasley's attention. After a while, she mentioned that our beds were upstairs. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough space to place a bed in Hermione and Ginny's room so; she made a soft bed in the guest room, which is exactly what I was: a guest.

Mrs. Weasley supported my weight as she led us up the stairs and into a small room with a comfy little bed. It might not be a large room but it was just perfect for me. Luckily, my luggage sat right beside the bed, just waiting to be opened. "I hope you have a wonderful night, Jamie. You can sleep in tomorrow. With the stress from today, we wouldn't want to over exercise you," She said before kissing my forehead and closing the door behind her. Mrs. Weasley really was the perfect mother for anyone. Ron was lucky to have her.

I placed Malco on the bed, put an earplug in my ear and pressed play. _Cherry Bomb_ by _the Runaways_ had started to play and I couldn't help but smile. It had a good beat to it and great to listen to when relieving stress. Getting changed into my pyjama, I climbed into bed, kept my iPod in place and the song changed once it was done. _Need you now_ by _Lady Antebellum_ came on and I felt sleepy immediately. Sure, the ringing in my head started once again but I ignored it. Malco snuggled into my side and we both fell asleep instantly.

* * *

The next morning, I woke up to a warm and bright sun. Blinking hard, Malco woke up also and stretched his aching limbs. "How are you feeling this morning?" I asked him worriedly while he finished stretching. It obviously seemed to be an effort for him.

"A little sore but nothing a little rest can't cure. How about you? How's that hard stubborn head of yours?" I couldn't help but laugh at that.

"Well, you seem to be back to your old self. It's fine, just a little sore like you. Let's go downstairs. I don't want Mrs. Weasley to think I'm lazy," I mentioned while swinging my legs out of the bed and standing up stiffly. Well, those Death Eaters did a bloody good job at beating me up. It seemed like the aching would never stop. I changed out of my pyjama and into something decent enough before walking downstairs, Malco right on my shoulder as usual. He was so weightless; it seemed like no challenge at all to keep him on my shoulders. Maybe being a Guardian made him look and feel different than any other pet.

"Well, it seems someone's feeling better," Mrs. Weasley said as I walked down the stairs. Who knows how long she had been waiting at those footsteps for me to come down. Looking down at my watch, it read eight seventeen in the morning. Maybe I was early. "Come now, everyone is waiting for you in the kitchen," She mentioned before placing her hand on my arm and led me to a large kitchen.

"Jamie!" I heard Hermione's voice before she attacked me with a large hug. A slight pain came at my back—maybe it wasn't exactly fixed but it felt better than ever—but I ignored it. "Do not do that to us again, please!"

She separated from the embrace and those warm brown eyes bore into mine so hard that I couldn't look away. "I'm sorry Hermy. I won't do that again," I said while we approached the table and everyone welcomed me back, asking how I felt and if it was scary having Death Eaters surround you. I was able to answer them easily but Charlie, seeing as he was sitting across from me, seemed to be eyeing me, choosing his next words carefully.

"If you would like to speak, just say it. It is, after all, your home," I said, shutting everyone up in an instant. Charlie looked away for one moment and looked at me once again.

"I would like to apologize for my behaviour yesterday. It seemed as though you had quite the rough day afterwards." _I'd say…_ I thought as he took a break and continued again. "I hope you can forgive me for my behaviour."

"I do. Of course, I'm not the one who has to put up with me for a week." Charlie chuckled slightly and extended his hand. I took it without a second thought and it was official: this was obviously the start of a great vacation.

**So what did you think? Hopefully it's good enough for all of you. And please don't give up on me. I would like reviews but it's fine if there are none. But please don't give up. REVIEW PLEASE!!! LOVE YOU ALL!!!**

**Bellacullenswan17**

14


	15. One terrible night

**Alright guys, so HUGE chapter right now and I hope you'll all love it, if you guys still keep reading this story. PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP ON THIS STORY!!! I'M BEGGING YOU!! Alright, so PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!!!**

**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter!!!**

Chapter 15

One terrible night

The week had passed quickly. There were the constant bloody snowball fights, fires at night in the living room and amazing food. On Christmas morning, we gave out the presents and I was surprised at what I received from everyone. A flashback of that day made me zone out for a few minutes.

_Ginny had gotten me a few books, courtesy of Flourish & Blotts in Diagon Alley, and they looked interesting enough. Ron had found a Chudley Cannon robe for Quidditch, which should help me to keep warm during the season. Harry, on the other hand, had gotten me a completely new broom. It was a Cleansweep 7 model, much better than my Shooting Star model. That was actually very thoughtful of him. It must have cost Harry a fortune. Hermione had settled to buy me a few Muggle supplies for my mp3, such as a battery-operated portable stereo with a stack load of batteries, a set of CDs from some of my favourite bands—it was a complete mystery how she figured out my favourite bands but it was the thought that counted—and a skin for my iPod. She had probably given me the most expensive gift, considering this was all Muggle stuff but I loved it no matter what. Fred and George had, of course, given me a few of their prank supplies and it brought a smile to my face. They had told me that it could be used against anyone when they bother you. _

_But the gift that brought a few tears to my eyes was Mrs. Weasley's gift. _

_Charlie, Mr. Weasley—who was quite the loving father as well—and Mrs. Weasley had all placed their names on this one but I knew it must have been Mrs. Weasley's doing. She had knitted me a pair of mittens with the letter J on the front of each glove. They were immensely warm and brought a sense of loving and acceptance to me immediately. "Thank you," I whispered to Mrs. Weasley once the tears started to leak from the corner of my eyes. She smiled at me and gave me a large embrace. _

"_Your welcome dear. We already think of you as one of the Weasleys," She mentioned and that just made me leave the room in an instant, hiding my tears from everyone. People actually accepted me for who I was. That warmed my heart to know that there was always somewhere I could go if my family broke apart once more. Malco had followed me and tried to help me. But in time, I calmed down and returned inside, only to be enveloped in another embrace from Mrs. Weasley. "I never meant to make you cry, Jamie. I am terribly sorry," She mentioned and one tear rolled down my face. _

"_It's alright, I just… it feels nice to know that I have somewhere to go if needed," I answered truthfully. There was no point in lying to this family, and it wouldn't feel right either. Looking over to Ron and his siblings, they seemed to agree with their mother. Had I finally found another home? It seemed so…_

But my mind snapped back to reality, knowing that today was the day I had to return to my foster parents for New Years. Hermione and Mrs. Weasley had been sad about my departure, but it wouldn't be fair for my foster parents. They had the opportunity to see me once per year and it was the time. I just wished that my real parents were still alive to see me during the holidays. Malco hopped on my shoulder and we took our luggage before heading out. I wished the Weasleys a pleasant holiday and apparated to the train station once again. This time, there were loads of people walking and chatting.

The train station made me think about the fight between me and the Death Eaters. Although that experience was not one I would want to relive, it was still difficult to think that everyone around me was in terrible danger. What if my foster parents were in danger because I was visiting them? If they died because of me, I would never be able to forgive myself. It would be too much for me.

The train ride had been quiet and I was alone in my booth, thankfully. Malco had been forced to be quiet during the period of time we had been stuck in the train but, approximately an hour later; we had arrived to the train station in Crawley, England. My foster parents had been waiting for me and seemed extremely happy to see me. They had greeted me and we drove off to the house. It might be a small home with only two rooms but it was comfortable.

"We've been expecting your arrival for a while, Jamie," My foster father, Thomas Crowty, had mentioned while he took a hold of my suitcase and welcomed me into the house. It was nice to be around them but… once again, they didn't get me. My foster parents still thought I was at a military school, trying to learn discipline.

"Is the military institute teaching you manners?" My foster mother, Amelia Crowty, thought that I had a little discipline problem that couldn't be fixed unless they sent me to a boarding school. But… it still wasn't my life.

"Of course, Amelia." I never called them Mum or Dad, because that's exactly what they weren't. My real parents. We reached the door and I tried to act civilized while opening the door for them gracefully. They bought my little act and we celebrated my return with cake and the presents they had bought me for Christmas. My foster parents wanted to know about my experience at the institute and I described it with one word: rough. They didn't need to know more. And I wasn't about to let them know anything else. Luckily, Amelia dropped the subject easily and I had opened my presents.

Of course, they didn't understand me at all. My interests were music, writing and sports but they had gotten me makeup kits and fishing equipment, the two things that bored me—and frankly, annoyed me—to tears. But, instead of showing them my disappointment, I placed a fake smile on my face and said: "Thanks Amelia, Thomas. This is fabulous. I love you," before giving them both hugs. My foster father and mother enjoyed the sentimental feeling I had given them and Amelia kissed me on the cheek before a large bang could be heard.

Malco stood up on all fours and looked at the door. What could possibly be happening? He snarled before the door flew down the hall.

The sight of the intruders—yes, _intruders_—stopped me dead in my tracks. Death Eaters. About a dozen of them, more than the last time. And they were all wearing masks, except for two. One of the unmasked Death Eaters was a male with a pale pointed face, pale blond hair and cold grey eyes. Frankly, everything about this man was pale and horrible, but also familiar in some way. The other unmasked Death Eaters was a female with long thick black hair, thin lips and dark, heavy-lidded eyes. She was just as cold and venomous as the unmasked man.

"What are you lot doing in our house?!" Thomas shouted, forcing me to turn my head towards him. How dare he shout at these people?! They were both going to get killed.

"Get the bloody hell out of my home!" Amelia shouted as well, making the unmasked Death Eaters face them. The man looked a little confused and the woman seemed pleased by my foster parents' outrage.

"Well, it seems little Jamie-baby's parents are a little mad, aren't they Lucius?" The woman prompted childishly, her voice seeming almost babyish. The man—apparently called Lucius now—turned towards the woman and smiled a little.

"Yes Bella, they are. And they should learn their manners before speaking to us in such a tone," Lucius mentioned before returning his cold gaze on my parents, then to me. Malco snarled next to me and I placed a hand on his head to calm him down. It only worked momentarily. "It also seems as though Miss Karsson here has a Guardian. We should… diminish any possible problems," Lucius said before waving his wand in front of Malco, a jet of pink light escaped from it and hitting Malco right in the face, making my Guardian slam into the wall and losing consciousness.

"NO!" I screamed before a Death Eater tried to shoot a stunning spell at me but it was easily avoided. "You leave my family alone!" I screamed while stepping in front of my foster parents. Even though they did not understand me very well, they were still my family. And I would protect them with my lives.

"Unfortunately, that's not possible. You see, we have certain orders to uphold and… there cannot be any unwanted traces left behind," Lucius said before he waved his hand and several Death Eaters shot the killing curses at my foster parents and I tried to dodge them as best as possible. Unfortunately, one of the spells thrown by Lucius hit my foster mother in the side and she was immediately killed, leaving no traces of blood.

"No! Mum!" Did I really call her Mum? She wasn't my real mother but… she did treat me as her child. But as I was occupied with Amelia's death, Lucius took that opportunity and used the killing curse on Thomas, killing him as well in an instant. "Dad! No!" I screamed and placed a hand on his chest, desperately trying to find a pulse. There was none. They were both gone, leaving me alone once again. A tear rolled down my face and anger surged through me. Closing Thomas's eyes, I stood up and walked over to Amelia, shutting her dead eyes closed as well, mourning their deaths.

"Oh, poor Jamie-baby's upset," Bella had said mockingly. In Spanish, 'Bella' meant pretty. But she wasn't pretty, nor was she a wonderful person to begin with. Her mocking attitude made the anger turn from boiling hot to volcanic ash hot. My eyes burnt with rage as I turned around and faced her, wand at hand.

"You'll pay for that," I answered before shouting "_Stupefy!_" at her but she ducked from the blow. Aside from Lucius and Bella, the rest of the Death Eaters shot the killing curse at me, which hit me across the chest and sent me flying into the wall. It crumbled behind me before my vision started to fade and darkness consumed me.

* * *

When I woke up, the room seemed omniscient and dark. My vision blurred for moments but refocused itself to find myself in an old room, almost a dungeon. I tried to move but heard a rustling metal sound from both sides. Looking to my sides, I found my wrists bound to chains. And so were my ankles. Bloody hell… Where was I? The last thing I remember were the Death Eaters coming to my home, killing my foster parents and… knocking me unconscious.

"It seems the little Half-Blood's awake, Malfoy," A childish voice resounded from the front of the room. Turning my head, I saw that Bella had entered with Lucius by her side. She had a smirk on her face and her wand was in her hand, ready to use it any time. But wait… Malfoy?! I knew he looked familiar. Lucius Malfoy disappeared for a split second and Draco Malfoy took his place. Of course, the features were almost exactly the same. Anger surged through me once more and I tried to move in the slightest but the chains held me back. "And she's feisty!"

"What do you want with me?" I asked, but earned a smack to the cheek from Bella. She seemed to enjoy the look of pain on my face but I would never give them any satisfaction of screaming.

"No one wants to hear your filthy voice!" She screamed in my face, kicking me in the leg forcefully, probably making a large bruise form on my right leg.

"Now, now Bellatrix, no need to be forceful. She only asked a question," Lucius said with a sickeningly soft voice. But it was filled with venom and evil. The fact that he was a Death Eater didn't scare me in the least. Obviously, they were after my curse for Voldemort but they would get lip from me.

"You won't get this curse," I said, courage filling every inch of my voice. Unfortunately, Lucius waved his wand towards me and my body was filled with excruciating pain. A gasp of pain escaped my lips and the smell of rust entered my nostrils. I looked down and saw blood seep into my clothes on my chest. What had he done to me? "You bloody—"

My sentence was cut off by another smack to the face. "Learn your manners!" Bellatrix shouted angrily. The pain in my chest did not subside and my face started to sting right now. "And we will get what we need, in due time. The Dark Lord will be coming in just a few days to obtain your bloody gift and you will die instantly. This will solve all of our problems." What? I didn't think that I was going to _die_! What was this curse going to cost me in the end? Suddenly, a sinister look passed through Bellatrix's eyes. What was she planning? "But… the Dark Lord did say that he just needed you _alive_, he never said we couldn't have our fun," She replied sinisterly. Oh no… This was not going to end well. And what happened to Malco? He got badly hurt when the Death Eaters showed up.

"Where's Malco?" I asked, earning another slap. But I wouldn't give up. They would eventually tell me. "Where is he?!" I practically screamed at the top of my lungs, demanding to know where my best friend was. If they touched him, I'd go on a bloody killing rampage!

"You insolent Half-Blood!" Malfoy's father answered before waving his wand again and the searing pain in my chest increased. I held in the large scream that threatened to come out but, once again, they would never get the satisfaction of hearing me scream. "Learn your place!"

A chuckle escaped my sore throat. "You know, you sound exactly like your bratty son," I mentioned and saw Lucius's face turned beet red. He was extremely angry. But no matter, they were probably going to dispose of me before Voldemort arrived, which satisfied me.

But the redness died and he composed himself without hitting me. A shocker, if you asked me. "No need to waste my breath on you. We just need to silence you for the time being," He said. But wait… what did he mean by that? He waved his wand once again, never reciting any spells, but an intense pain made my vision blurry and in seconds, I was out once more.

* * *

It had been a week and a half and Voldemort was still taking his bloody time. Was he preparing something large enough to annihilate me? The Death Eaters had tortured me during my stay in this rusty old room and no one came to my rescue. Never did I expect anyone to come and save _me_ but now, I desperately needed someone, _anyone_, to come and save me from this hell hole. Every part of my body had bled or _was_ bleeding at the moment. My eyesight was horrible and darkness consumed me multiple times per day. They had battered and shattered my right leg too many times to count and the pain never diminished. Malfoy's father had used many curses on me during my stay in this hell hole, such as the Sectumsempra hex and others that I was unknown to. Even though they made me suffer through all of this pain, they never heard me scream. When my eyes closed, all I could see was the Death Eaters torturing me over and over again. But that was also reality. Every waking moment, there was someone here, torturing me to no end. They liked my pain.

On the tenth day, I gave up trying to find hope. There was none to begin with. No one would save me and I would die here, just like my foster parents and real parents. They were killed by Death Eaters but… Voldemort would be the one to dispose of me to conquer the wizarding world. Bloody hell… Suddenly, a door opened, snapping me out of my hopelessness and Bellatrix came walking in. She was the one that had caused me the most pain, all the taunting and insults, but that didn't matter to her. Bellatrix Lestrange—that's right, I learnt her last name during my stay here and it would always haunt me—and Lucius Malfoy had tortured me the most because they both wanted to please Voldemort.

"Today is the day you will lose your life, Jamie-baby. The Dark Lord will be here any minute now," She mused while approaching me, kicking my broken leg when she was close enough. I didn't have the strength anymore to scream or even talk. They had taken away all of my strength and ability to speak. "Finally, we've been able to shut that mouth of yours. Perfect. Now you won't be able to stop the Dark Lord from performing the ritual. He needed to gather all of his ingredients and, guess what? You're the last ingredient," She answered while slapping my face a few times. Again, I felt the pain but wasn't able to make sound come from my mouth. "But it makes me sad. I can't hear that pitiful cry of yours, even though we haven't heard it since you arrived here. Maybe this will make you—"

But her sentence was cut off when the door blew off and dust covered the entrance, making it hard to see who broke in. Bellatrix was surprised at the sudden outburst and turned abruptly towards the broken front door. "Get away from her!" A deep manly voice said. It was a voice I had heard only once but it was extremely familiar. The dust cleared and a large feline with black stripes covering most of his white fur and glowing misty black eyes. Malco. He'd come for me. My Guardian…

Bellatrix saw me smile and a large sinister smile grew on her horrible face. "Jamie-baby knows the big bad kitty?" She cooed in her baby voice. Malco pounced on her and knocked her to the ground, making her head slam against the cold concrete. He grabbed the foul black dress and swung Bellatrix across the room, making her light headed when she hit the wall. Malco rushed to me but my vision was starting to blur once more, making it hard to stay conscious. "Jamie, can you hear me? Jamie, please say something," He pleaded and slashed the chains away, making me fall against his fur.

"Malco…" This was the first time I used my voice in days. It was hoarse and weak, just like my body felt. Everything about me was weak and wouldn't work very well.

"I'm here Jamie, I'm here. You're going to be just fine. We're going back to Hogwarts and you'll be just fine. Oh my god… you're going to be fine," He repeated as he placed me on his back as best as possible. A feeling of exhaustion crept up on me as he started running back towards the exit. "Hogwarts!" Malco shouted and a certain pull appeared on my body, pulling me towards something. But I had closed my eyes when someone shouted my name.

"Get her on the bed, she needs healing. Now!" A deep male voice answered just as I felt myself being moved and being laid across a soft bed. But just as the comforting feeling of the cotton became familiar, my body started to give in and darkness enveloped me into an uneasy sleep.

Was I safe? Would I wake up the next day and my nightmares would become reality?

**Alright, so what did you think? Hopefully, it was to your liking. And you guys might be getting a double whammy tonight because I have a lot of ideas for the next chapter. So REVIEW PLEASE!!! At least ONE review please!!! I'm desperate.**

**Bellacullenswan17**

10


	16. Scared to death

**Alright people, so I know that no one wants to read this story but I'm still finishing it, no matter what people want. It's frankly disappointing to find no emails whatsoever when I update almost every day. It's as if my story isn't good enough for you all. But still, read and review. **

**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter.**

Chapter 16

Scared to death

"_You evil little witch!" Bellatrix screamed at me as she slapped me across the face. I couldn't take anymore of their torture. It had been days that I'd been here, in this hellish place. Bellatrix and the other Death Eaters had decided to keep me as a human punching bag. "How dare you talk back to me?!" Bellatrix bellowed. I just turned my gaze at her and kept my mouth shut. If another word would escape my lips, another beating would occur. _

"_Bellatrix, no need to be rough. I'm sure this young lady doesn't know what she's doing. After all, she is only a weakling," Lucius Malfoy said; his tone bitter with joy and satisfaction. My anger boiled inside of me. No one could call me weak. Especially not them. I struggled to get out of these chains but the effort was pointless. Lucius hit me across the head and the next moment, I started seeing stars. "Learn your manners, witch," Lucius warned angrily. _

"_Lucius, please step aside," A dark voice said. Lucius stepped aside and I was face to face with Voldemort. It was the first time that he had appeared in my nightmares—hopefully this _was _a nightmare—and now was glaring down at me with those snake-like eyes. His sinister serpentine face was smiling at me. This couldn't be good. "I've had enough of this persistent little witch. It's time we dispose of the nuisance," The Dark Lord said as he took his wand out of his sleeve. He was pointing it right at me. Voldemort was going to kill me, right here, right now. I tried to find my voice and protest but no sound came. "Tell Harry's parents I say hello," He said before pronouncing an incantation and my eyes closed. NO!_

My eyes opened slowly and painfully. What had happened to me? But then again, why would I ask myself that question? It was plain obvious that my dream related to that question. The past few days were the most horrible moments of my life. "Do you believe she'll be alright?" A soft and comforting voice said far away. I recognize that woman's voice. It was Madam Pomfrey. Had I returned to Hogwarts? Maybe this was just an illusion the Death Eaters were performing for me. My eyes glanced around the white room and found my wand, just there on the nightstand.

They would probably torture me some more and maybe even kill me in the long run. I quickly grabbed my wand and pointed it at them. But it wasn't Death Eaters that were talking. Madam Pomfrey was talking to Professor Dumbledore, along with Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall. But suddenly, they weren't talking anymore. They were just looking at me, dumbfounded. Suddenly, everything started to hurt. My head, my sides, my stomach, even my arms and legs. I was almost in a sitting position, holding my weight with my left hand and pointing my wand to my teachers. Suddenly, in all of this haste, I started to hyperventilate. Maybe I was having a seizure. Wouldn't be surprising after everything that went on.

"Jamie? It's alright; no one's going to harm you," Professor Dumbledore assured me. My breathing had become laboured and my heart rate picked up. I could feel it.

"Professor Dumbledore…?" I whispered without dropping my wand. Now it was shaking in my hand. Suddenly, Professor McGonagall noticed my sudden shakiness and approached me carefully. Every muscle in my body stiffened and the pain became unbearable.

"She's in pain. Help me lower her down gently," She mentioned as she lowered my arm and began to push my body down onto the bed carefully. The shaking had stopped momentarily and the pain started to diminish slightly. "Everything's alright Jamie."

"Everything hurts…" I mentioned; my voice barely above a whisper.

"Is there anything we can give her to dull the pain?" She asked once my breathing had returned to normal and my muscles started to relax.

"Of course. Let me go get it," Madam Pomfrey mentioned as she exited the room and Professor Dumbledore came to sit next to me.

"I'm so sorry Miss Karsson." He said as my eyes adjusted to see him looking at me with saddened eyes. Why was he apologizing? There was no point. I was the one who got kidnapped by Death Eaters.

"For what…? You did nothing wrong…" I said as my gaze went to the ceiling.

"Hogwarts is supposed to be a safe place for young wizards. When you went back home, your safety was at risk. This should have never happened." He explained as he took my hand reassuringly, like any father would. But he wasn't my father. No… Both my parents _and_ foster parents were dead.

"It's not your fault. If this curse didn't exist, no one would be in trouble. And no one would be bloody dead," I answered back angrily, angry at myself for losing my parents and for hurting most people around me. But… what would the others think of me now? They had to be worried or even suspicious about this certain event. "What about the other students? Do they—"

"The students have been told that your foster parents," I flinched at the use of those words in that sentence, "brought you on a special trip and you were badly hurt in the mountains," Dumbledore explained and I just nodded, keeping my mouth shut for the time being. "I'm so sorry Jameson. This would have never happened if I hadn't informed you about your gift."

I scoffed, still looking at the ceiling. "This is a bloody curse, a curse that's following me around and bringing others in danger!" My anger just seeped out and suddenly, I felt tired. Madam Pomfrey returned with a certain medicine in her hands, hopefully nothing painful, and approached me carefully.

"Miss Karsson, this will help with the pain. Don't worry, you're alright. No one is going to harm you anymore. But you need to drink this," She offered and, with a little hesitation, I drank it, feeling drowsy already.

"Sleep well, Miss Karsson. You're safe here," Dumbledore said before I fell asleep instantaneously, the nightmares staying with me every time I close my eyes. And they would not stop, even when my eyes were open.

* * *

Since the day Malco brought me back to Hogwarts, I've been quiet. It was quiet in the hospital wing and no one entered for days. Of what Madam Pomfrey had told me, my leg was badly injured, internally and externally, which meant that I needed a walking stick just to walk around. Bloody hell… But the teachers were starting to worry about me.

The food they brought me wouldn't be touched. It brought back too many memories of what _they_ served me, even if it was minimal and almost none—mostly none. What those Death Eaters served me was mostly garbage and would make me feel weaker every time I took a bite. Madam Pomfrey tried to get me to eat but I wouldn't take one bite. My gaze was blank. It would just stare at the bed, not looking up for anything. When sleep would find its way to me, it wouldn't be for very long. My mind recalled the events with the Death Eaters and Bellatrix but instead of being rescued, the event would take a turn for the worse, making me wake up, wand in hand and ready to defend.

On the fifth day of being stuck in the hospital, Madam Pomfrey informed me that I was free to go. Before leaving with my cane—I really hated carrying this thing around—and wand in my sleeve, I looked at Madam Pomfrey and tried to make out the emotions playing on her face. They seemed troubled and worried, as if I would not last the day with my injuries. "I'm so sorry, Miss Karsson." People had been apologizing to me these days but it was none of their faults. It was mine. I had been the one who had been cursed. My foster parents had been killed and there was nothing anyone could do. I'd have to go back to one of those foster homes, waiting for a certain family to pick me up, like a plate of grist. I left the room with a nod to Madam Pomfrey and entered the busy hallways.

Classes for the day had just ended so everyone was returning to their Common Rooms. The thing that embarrassed me was that walking through the hallways with this bloody cane ended up getting me a few stares from the other students. Not that I cared much in the first place. With the events that just happened, my tolerance for pain and humiliation has just risen. But frankly, no one dared to talk to me, which made me happy.

Once in front of the Gryffindor Common Room, the fat lady seemed shocked to see me. "I didn't think you were going to be alive…" She said sadly.

"Sorry to disappoint you on that point." It might have been better for everyone if I _did_ die out there…

"It's no disappointment. It's a relief." Oh…

"I'm guessing Dumbledore told you?"

"Every painting in the castle knows what happened. They are quite shocked that you're still alive. They also think it is quite brave of you." She admitted. It made me blush that they would say that and it also made me angry that Dumbledore would blab about this whole event.

"Well, this girl needs to relax. _Sintect Tatrov_." I said and the painting willingly swung open, letting me enter the empty Common Room. Wait… empty? Why is the Common Room empty at this hour? Isn't everyone supposed to be doing homework? _Well, better for me… People don't have to see me just yet._ I thought while heading up the stairs painfully. It sure didn't help my injured leg to do this right now. But what did it matter? Nobody probably cared what happened as long as they didn't have the burden of my death on their shoulders. Once in the Girls Dormitory, Malco spotted me immediately and smiled. That cat had just saved my life… and he could still smile about everything.

"It's good to see you again." He said as I approached him and sat on the bed next to him. He walked over to me and sat right beside my thigh.

Petting him, my smile grew. "Thank you."

"What for?"

"Without your help, I'd probably be dead by now."

"Please don't say that. It's upsetting me." He said saddened by what I had just said.

"You know it's true. You saved my life." And with that, I picked him up, hugged him tightly to my chest and kissed his forehead.

"You're welcome." But he didn't get to say anything else because Hermione stepped through the door and stopped when she saw me.

"Jamie?" She asked shocked.

"Hi."

"Where have you been?" She asked while approaching me quickly and giving me a large hug, making me wince in pain. "Everyone's been worried sick about you. And you're badly hurt. What happened?" I turned my head away, too ashamed to tell her what happened.

"I'm sorry Hermy but… could we talk about this another time please? I… I can't really talk about it now," I said, a tear rolling down my face for the first time in days. She looked at me with those large brown eyes and nodded, placing a hand on my arm carefully.

"Would you like to come down to the river with Harry and me?" She asked with a warm voice, nothing like the voices the Death Eaters used. "Maybe going outside might not be the best idea but—"

"I'd love to. It'll be nice to get some fresh air right now." I admitted while standing up with difficulty. She noticed that I had difficulties standing up and helped me. "Thanks…"

"You can tell me when it's time. Whenever you feel better about this," She said as we walked out of the Common Room slowly, thanks to me. It had been hard to even think about what the Death Eaters had done to me, let alone my parents. But… to speak it out loud just made it even more real.

"Hello there." I heard Harry say as he approached me, a smile plastered on his face once he saw Hermione. One he was in front of us, he placed an arm around Hermione's waist and took a good look at me. Yep, they were definitely a couple. "Jamie, we've been worried sick about you. Are you alright?" He asked me, taking in the shape I was in. With all of these injuries, the students were bound to ask many questions about my sudden departure.

"Well—" I only got that far in the answer before Hermione cut in.

"Jamie, you don't have to tell him now." She gave her mate a careful look and he seemed to get the point. Suddenly, Luna and Ron came in the picture, accompanied by Ginny, Fred and George. Great… Just the bloody party I wanted.

"Hey George, look who's back." Fred said sadly as he looked me over.

"And I do believe she owes us an explanation for her tardiness." George said as they both crossed their arms at the exact same time. I missed seeing that… But they weren't as excited as usual. Their smile was gone once they took in my appearance, just as Harry had once did only seconds ago.

"Fred, George, leave her alone for the meanwhile. It seems as though Jamie's been through too much," Ginny answered worriedly as she placed a hand on the hand that held my cane. The look on her face said that she really wanted to know…

I sighed before starting to speak. "You really want to know what happened?" I asked loud enough for them to hear. They all nodded in agreement. Another sigh escaped my lips. "I went back home for New Year's and when my foster parents had finished giving me my late Christmas presents; dozens of Death Eaters came into the house." They just looked at me dumbfounded and in shock. But they didn't know everything.

Just when I was about to continue, an annoying pest arrived and ruined the moment. "Oh Karsson has returned from St-Mungo's. She probably was admitted for mental difficulties," He said and that made me snap. Malfoy disappeared and for a moment, I saw Lucius Malfoy, wand in hand and waving it towards me. Just as he did so many times to torture me. But just as soon, Draco came back into the picture with that snarky smile on that pale face. He thought I was admitted to St-Mungo's. But he couldn't say something like that, especially when it's his father that gave me most of these injuries.

Turning around and letting go of my walking stick, I started walking angrily towards him but was forced back by Fred and George. My struggling in their grasp did nothing to help my situation. They were holding me too tight. "Fred, George, let me go!"

"Come on Jamie, it's just Malfoy," Fred said while my struggling continued. It was just Malfoy, but Malfoy senior was the one that gave me all of these injuries, along with his mate, Bella! Anger surged through me once again as I tried to move but they wouldn't let me escape. My strength was weak against their grasps and their grip would only increase with my struggling.

"What's gotten into you Karsson? Too much time with your filthy parents?" He said before laughing. That took it too far. Suddenly, Fred and George's grip on me loosened slightly and I was able to escape, running in pain towards Malfoy. Grabbing his collar and pushing him against the wall, he now looked horrified.

"Don't you _dare_ talk about my parents that way! You have no idea what kind of torture I've been through and you have absolutely _no_ idea what I've seen!" I screamed in his face. He just looked at me frightened.

"Oh yeah, why don't you explain that little factor Karsson! Explain what was so horrifying!" He asked back.

"Oh, why don't you ask your father to tell you about that day he killed my foster parents right in front of me and then beating and torturing me for a week and a half?!" Everyone gasped behind me. Even Malfoy wouldn't speak. "Your father left me with nothing!"

"Don't you—"

"Accuse him? Oh, it's no accusation. Ask him why I'm so valuable to his precious master! He'll probably tell you the whole story." And with that said, I let go of Malfoy and walked away from him. Placing my hand on the wall to support myself against my injured leg, my mind recalled what just happened. The truth had been revealed but not just to Hermione and the gang but also _Malfoy_! How low can I go?

"Jamie, wait!" Hermione screamed from behind me as I said the password and re-entered the Common Room. They all followed after me and Hermione grabbed my shoulder, telling me to stop. Suddenly, my mind registered the pain in my leg and it made me stop. Madam Pomfrey had warned me about walking on it. If I did, then it might start bleeding again. And, knowing my luck, it might have started.

Closing my eyes to avoid their looks, Hermione's hand left my shoulder and went to my hand. "Please look at me," She asked sadly. A few seconds later, I obeyed and opened my eyes to find her crying.

"Why are you crying?" I asked her, my voice emotionless as a tear fell down my face as I looked at her. Looking away from her, more tears ran down my face.

"I'm just… I'm so sorry Jamie," She answered just like everyone else, which made me sick.

"Don't apologize to me. I don't need anyone's pity," I admitted while walking towards the big Gryffindor couch and placing my injured leg onto the table delicately. While rolling the sleeve of my pants up, the others came to sit either beside me or around the couch. Once the leg of my pant was rolled up, everyone gasped except for Hermione who let out an '_Oh my goodness_'. And _oh_ _my goodness_ couldn't even begin to cover the damage. My leg held large gashes of blood and cuts had formed. Some of my veins had popped out, leaving horrible marks. But this was nothing. It was only part of the whole beating process the Death Eaters enforced on me.

"Bloody hell…" Ron admitted, horror struck by my injury. I rolled down the sleeve of my pants and looked at all of them straight in the eyes. They were frightened.

"Look, I just wanted—" But my sentence was cut off when Hermione wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me tightly, making me wince once more. Sobs erupted from Hermione's throat and that made me sad. "Hermione?" I asked, hoping to receive an answer.

"We're here for you, Jamie," She murmured against my ear as I hesitantly wrapped my arms around her torso and placed my chin against her shoulder, looking at the lot in front of me. "Never did we want to pity you."

"Hermione's right. We're here for you, mate," Ron answered as Luna came to sit on his lap and he placed an arm around her torso. Had they become a couple as well? How many things did I miss during my disappearance?

"What's all this then?" I asked with a smile, pointing towards the couple in the chair. Luna and Ron looked at each other for a moment before they both blushed at the exact same time and separated from one another. A small chuckle erupted from my throat as Hermione released her hold on me. "It's alright, I won't judge anyone. First, Harry and Hermione, next Luna and Ron. It's quite amazing what you bloody miss in a week and a half."

We started laughing half-heartedly but suddenly, Professor McGonagall came into the Common Room, her expression unreadable and saddened. "Professor McGonagall?" Harry asked as she approached us.

"I have… Miss Karsson has received a letter from the Ministry of Magic. It's… quite urgent," She seemed said and hesitant while I stood up shakily—and was able to stay up thanks to Hermione and Ginny—and took the note from her. "I'm terribly sorry Miss Karsson," McGonagall apologized, almost in a whisper. What was she apologizing for? Opening the envelope, I read the letter in shock.

_Jameson Karsson, _

_We have conducted some research based on the incident in Crawley, England. Unfortunately, it is to our discretion that we must take actions into our hands. We are terribly sorry for your loss but, believing that Amelia and Thomas Crowty were your last remaining family, we are forced to place you into a magical foster home until the next pair of Wizard parents will take you under their wing. _

_With your particular gift, Death Eaters will be after you and it is unfortunate that we must take you away from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry but the rules must be upheld. _

_  
Once again, we are terribly sorry for your loss._

_May the best of luck arrive in the future._

_Sir Cornelius Fudge_

_Minister of Magic_

My mouth fell open in utter shock. What else could go bloody wrong in my life? Well, it was another reason to leave this school, to go back to the orphanage. Looking up at Professor McGonagall, she gave me a sympathetic smile before placing a hand on my shoulder, which I brushed off immediately. "I'll start packing," I mentioned lifelessly before limping up to the Girls' Dormitory. There was a lot of fuss erupting downstairs but nothing compared to the fuss inside my mind. The Ministry was a part of this now? What else would they uncover?

"What's the matter Jamie?" Malco asked me worriedly as I robotically walked over to my dresser, started removing clothes and ignored Malco's question completely. Placing the letter on the dresser, Malco asked once again: "Jamie, you're scaring me. What's going on?" But I didn't answer him once again. Just standing there, my gaze was empty, just like my heart. No love. No family. Nothing. He jumped onto the dresser and tried to look me in the eyes. But my eyes were blank; no emotions could be read on them. "Jamie?" He whispered sadly. I lifted my gaze from the dresser to Malco and he gasped, seeing the emptiness in them. "What's wrong?"

"Read the letter," I answered lifelessly and he obeyed, reading the letter from the Ministry. Grabbing a suitcase, I filled it with clothes as Malco finished reading it.

"They…" But he couldn't finish. It had happened once in our lives but it had been hard on me, to wait four years for a family to want me. How long would it take this time for someone to want a freak such as myself?

"It's time to go back to the orphanage," was my only statement before tears welled up in my eyes and I broke down crying on the floor, feeling unwanted.

**And so the happiness in me has completely been removed because I haven't gotten any reviews in so long. My story might go downhill because of it, but will it matter? Not really. So, as a ritual to all of you, even though you don't read this story, review please.**

**Bellacullenswan17**

13


	17. The orphanage

**Read and review please.**

**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter**

Chapter 17

The orphanage

"Jamie? Jamie, it's going to be alright. I'll be with you every single moment," Malco assured as he sat next to me. This was the first time that my emotions were spilling out this badly. Never in my life would I have imagined that getting thrown into an orphanage would have this large of an impact on me. Composing myself carefully, I pushed all of the pain out of my body and became lifeless. There was no point in trying to avoid the obvious. There would be pain in the future, and it would be much worse than this. I'd practiced it during the years. And it became ritual whenever things went wrong, such as today.

"Alright," was my simple answer as I continued packing without another word. This was the usual routine whenever my life got out of hands, and that happened often. Malco knew me too well.

"Jamie, you can't block everything out. It's alright. We're going to get through it together. I won't allow you to block everything out. It's not healthy," He informed me as Malco jumped onto my suitcase, stopping me completely in my tracks. Once again, my eyes were lifeless. "Please Jamie, don't do this to yourself. You don't need to be strong all the time."

"I do. I can't let anyone see how I'm feeling. Now _that's_ not healthy," I answered lifelessly while walking over to the closet.

"Jamie, expressing your emotions is just another way of proving that you're only human. It's natural."

"Malco, it's harder for me to deal with these sorts of things than it is for anyone else. They don't have to live without a family! Look at me Malco!" I turned towards him and he seemed to flinch at my tone. Yes, I just proved anger but anger is better than pain. "I have no one anymore! No mum or dad to look after me whenever I come home, or no aunt and uncle to take me in when it's the holidays. A large hole has just been punched through my chest and no one can make it whole again. I doubt even you could Malco. I'm sorry but… there's no hope for me anymore. I'm just going to be tossed away in the long run. Just like right now…" I answered that last part emotionlessly. The anger was gone and now, there was nothing anymore. Just the gaping hole that was my heart that continued to throb.

"Jamie?" A small frail female voice asked from the doorway. Looking towards the entrance, I saw Hermione standing in the doorway, tears welling up in her brown eyes.

"Hermione… How much have you heard?" I asked weakly, sliding down the wall and placing both hands against my temples. What if she had heard Malco speak? Of course, the adults knew about him but… none of my friends did. And they wouldn't have to now.

"Practically everything. And… I heard your friend speak. It's no surprise that you had a talking feline on your hands," Hermione mentioned with a sly smile as she petted Malco on his head. Although he didn't seem very calm, Malco still let her pet him. "It's interesting."

"Then you can help me cheer her up," Malco said. A part of me still felt wrong about him talking in public but this was Hermione. She wouldn't betray me.

"McGonagall told us. It's unfair that the Ministry has to go this far." She approached me slowly, as if afraid that anything she did would scare me. The physical pain the Death Eaters had enforced on me returned slowly and the emotional pain increased. It was as if the world had decided to place more troubles upon me at this very moment. "You shouldn't have to leave Hogwarts because you have no more family to go to." Alright, so far, she wasn't helping in the least.

"Hermione…" My voice was hoarse and frankly, it hurt my chest to speak. All of those curses Lucius had used on me were causing me incredible pain and it was hard to do anything, "I need a legal guardian to look after me while I'm at school… I have no one anymore to do that, which is why the Ministry is taking action…" I said while placing a hand on my burning chest. Madam Pomfrey had placed many types of gauze on it to stop the bleeding and had given me some pain medication to take once every five hours, twice a day. Unfortunately, with every that has happened in the last few hours, I hadn't had time to take the second amount.

"Jamie, where does it hurt?" Hermione asked as she knelt in front of me and was hovering her hands above me, indicating that she was trying to help.

I shook my head and said: "It doesn't matter… I need to be gone from this school very soon. The Ministry's probably sending someone here shortly to pick me up…" I tried standing up but my leg hurt immensely and was forcing me to stay on the floor. Stupid bloody Death Eaters! Can't anyone just leave me the bloody hell alone these days? Hermione placed a hand under my elbows and hoisted me up with her enormous strength. "You're strong for someone who constantly reads books…" I said and she just laughed.

"Jamie, they can't force you to—" Hermione's sentence was interrupted when Professor McGonagall's throat was cleared and she approached us slowly.

"Miss Karsson, Kingsley Shacklebolt from the Ministry is waiting for you in Professor Dumbledore's office." Just as I expected… "They're here to escort you to the orphanage," She answered sadly. At least some of the teachers were upset about my departure.

"Alright, will they wait another five minutes? Maybe ten because I have to walk all the way to the entrance?" I asked, hoping to buy some time and say goodbye to my friends. This was probably the last time that I would see any of them.

"Of course. Take as long as you need. We'll make him wait," Professor McGonagall mentioned as she came to me and placed a wrinkly hand on my shoulder soothingly. "I'm terribly sorry about this."

"It's fine. I'm used to this…" was my emotionless response.

"Yes, but this is not the way to live. Do not worry, we will do our best to return you to Hogwarts as fast as possible," McGonagall responded before squeezing my shoulder reassuringly and leaving the Girls' Dormitory. Turning back to my suitcase, I packed in utter silence. Hermione didn't utter one more word as I finished packing.

Once I finished, I started to hear Hermione's sobs. Turning around, my eyes detected that Hermione had tears leaking down her face as she looked at me. Oh great… I'd made her cry. "Hermione, at some point in life, you have to know how to let others go. And, I guess, this is the time," I told her and she looked away from me as more tears ran down her face.

"Jamie, this is just unfair. You shouldn't go. You have friends here and Dumbledore can protect you," She said sadly.

"Yes, but he can't stop the Ministry." Malco had jumped onto my shoulder and we were now walking down the stairs. Everyone stood in the living room, all looking sadly at me. Ginny had been crying while I was upstairs and so was Luna. Most of the males wouldn't meet my eyes and that upset me. It wasn't like this was my choice to make! Walking towards the door, I was stopped when Daniel came through the door, obviously surprised once seeing me at the moment. "Oh, hello Daniel."

"Jamie…" was his only answer. Obviously, he still wouldn't speak to me. But he did notice the suitcase in my hand and looked confused. "Going somewhere?" He asked nonchalantly.

"Yes, back to the orphanage. Haven't you heard?" My tone was a little snippy but Daniel seemed taken aback by my response.

"What? Why are you going back to the orphanage?" He asked surprised and horrified, all at once.

"I have no one else. This is the only consequence the Ministry can think of to do; send me back to the orphanage to be forgotten by everyone. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got an escort to meet." I tried to get past him but he was stubborn. My patience was running thin and I actually had to push past him to get out of the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Don't go." Daniel's voice made me stop before the stairs. Turning around, I saw him walking up to me with his black hair shining in the dim light. Daniel was absolutely gorgeous. Oh, how I missed looking and talking to him. Why had I been so stupid?

"I can't. I have to go. It's better for everyone and the Ministry officially sent me a letter saying that I _have_ to leave. I'm sorry," I apologized, hoping that he would let me go easily but unfortunately, my wish was not granted. He grabbed my shoulders, spun me around and made me look in his brown eyes.

"You make your own choices. So far, of what I know, you don't let anyone tell you what to do. Why the bloody hell are you letting the _Ministry_ tell you how to live your life?" He asked angrily. I flinched and closed my eyes at his tone and he sighed. "Jamie, please don't leave. I… I don't think I could bare the fact that you would be in danger." His tone was soft and soothing, much better than before.

What could I tell him? No, I'm staying? Not likely. It seemed as though the cards were dealt and my fate was set. His brown eyes bore into mine and it was hard to look away. This was the last time that I would see him. Might as well make the best of it. This might have been impulsive but I placed my lips onto his and gave him a passionate kiss. He closed his eyes and allowed me to kiss him. The connection between the two of us returned and it felt simply wonderful. Both of us felt it and no one stopped. A single tear ran down my face as my mind registered what was happening. I kissed him for the last time, maybe. Who knows when we would see each other again? Stopping the kiss, I placed my forehead onto his and whispered one word. "Goodbye." Turning around, I left him standing there and walked away from my home.

Kingsley Shacklebolt had brought me to Madam Corpus's Magical Orphanage in utter silence. It seemed as though the man didn't know how to speak. Frankly, I felt horrible when arriving at the orphanage. This was the beginning of the rest of my life. Who would want a fifteen year old teenager who was officially cursed? No one. Kingsley just stayed outside of the building and let me enter alone. Bloody hell… "Welcome to Madam Corpus's Magical Orphanage. How may I help you?" A young woman with red curly hair and a pair of large glasses asked me with a little smile. Great… One lovely reception.

"Um… the Ministry sent me a letter, saying I should be placed here?" It was more like a question. Giving her the letter, her long fingernails brushed against my hand, making me shiver uncontrollably. She looked at the letter once and, seconds later, lifted her eyes from the letter and stared at me, giving me a completely creepy smile. Alright, I'm officially scared. Malco nestled himself in the crook of my neck, scared because of this horrible woman.

"Well, it seems we have a new orphan," She said in the creepiest tone _ever_. This didn't seem to be an orphanage; it seemed to be a prison. "Madam Corpus will be coming down any second. You may take a seat in the waiting room." She pointed to a wooden door with a tinted window just to my right. Nodding, I walked over there, entered and saw that no one was here.

"Jamie, this doesn't feel right," Malco mentioned as he looked at me sadly. My pet always knew when things were wrong and now was definitely one of those times.

"I know, but this is the only place that will accept me. We're going to have to stay here until… someone wants me," I said lifelessly while taking a seat. Not even a minute later, someone opened the door and a woman with blond hair, green eyes and a lovely smile entered.

"Welcome Jameson to Madam Corpus's Magical Orphanage. I'm Madam Corpus and this is your new home," She welcomed with a smile. Well, at the very least she was nicer than the receptionist. And frankly, I was just the garbage being dumped onto someone else's property. "I'm here to escort you through the orphanage and take you to your room." She took one look at my cat and said: "Usually, our policy is that no pets are allowed here but…" What? If Malco wasn't allowed here, then I won't stay. I'd rather live on the streets than have to let Malco go! "I received a letter from Albus Dumbledore saying that your pet is extremely special to you. We will make an exception this time." Oh thank goodness…

"Thank you," I muttered expressionlessly while standing up and approaching Madam Corpus. She smiled at me and we walked towards my room.

She told me everything about this orphanage: three meals a day, no magic allowed, be quiet most of the time, that kind of stuff. Frankly, it was this way everywhere. And honestly, I didn't expect to do anything eventful these days. Mostly, I'd be spending my time in my room, staring out the window, if even that. On our last stop in the tour, we arrived in front of a black wooden door with 'three-oh-two' engraved in gold on it. "This is your room Jameson, I hope that you will enjoy your stay here. Hopefully, there will be someone that will adopt you very soon," Madam Corpus informed me with a smile before leaving me alone in front of my door.

Looking back at my door, I tried to find any hope in this place. There was none. Sighing, my hand went to the doorknob and turned, swinging the door open, revealing a small room with a plain white bed, a large dresser and one desk. It seemed extremely small but hey, you can't have everything you want in life.

"Welcome to our own personal hell, Malco."

It had already been two weeks that I'd been at Madam Corpus's Magical Orphanage and still no one had come to see me. Hermione and the others from school would send me a few owls with personal letters, saying how much they wished I hadn't left and that they missed me. Even Daniel had sent me one, saying that he wished I was here with him. Huh. That kiss must have changed him a little. His words seemed sad and they bloody made me cry.

On my fifteenth stay here, Madam Corpus opened the door to my room and stepped in with her usual smile. "Jameson, someone is here to see you. It seems as though she knows you. Would you like to see her?"

"Um… alright?" Suddenly, a woman with dark twinkling eyes, a pale, heart-shaped face and mousy brown hair entered and her eyes bulged out when she saw me. What? Was there something wrong with me? Was I not good enough to be with this woman? Great… Just someone else that can call me a freak.

"Jamie…" The woman said and her hair seemed to change instantly. It went from brown to purple. Wait a second, purple? I'm guessing something went wrong with her hair as well, just like… Daniel's.

"Hello," was my simple response.

"I'm so happy to finally see you again,"

"Do I know you?" I asked curiously.

"No, but I know you. I'm your mother's sister. My name is Nymphadora Tonks. I'm your aunt."

**Alright, so if anyone is reading this story, please tell me what you think in reviews.**

**Bellacullenswan17**

9


	18. Tonks

**If anyone cares about this story, read and review.**

**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter.**

Chapter 18

Tonks

My mouth literally fell. This woman was barely forty. How in bloody hell could she be my aunt? But, from my fuzzy memory, she does look like my mother. Her eyes shined with happiness and care, something my mother would do practically every minute of the day. Basically, everything about this woman reminded me of my mother before she was killed. Looking over to Malco, he was… smiling? Turning my cautious face towards the woman, she kept on smiling.

"It's wonderful to see you after all of these years Jamie," The woman said with her smile. When I didn't say anything, she turned to Madam Corpus and asked: "Would it be possible to talk with Jamie personally?"

Madam Corpus nodded and smiled at me before leaving the room. For me, on the other hand, my face was still as cautious. There had been many things that happened lately that it was hard to let my guard down. Malco seemed comfortable enough around her though. Should I… trust her? Keeping a strong hold on my wand beside me, Nymphadora still kept looking at me with those dark beautiful eyes of hers.

"It's alright. You can trust me Jamie," Nymphadora reassured but my guard still didn't budge.

"It's alright Jamie." Malco's voice made me relax slightly. Looking at him, his smile reassured me that it was alright to trust this woman. "Trust me, she's a good person."

"If you say so…" My hand relaxed its hold on my wand and Nymphadora took a seat beside me on the bed.

"Tonks, it's nice to see you again," Malco answered with his large smile as he took a seat on my lap.

"Malco, you haven't changed a bit. After eleven years, you would have thought that you'd changed slightly. But… not even a flock of fur out of place!" She said happily, her hair still blazing purple. Wait, eleven years? I'd received Malco eleven years ago… when I was five. So this woman _had_ seen me before. Or maybe she was the one that sold Malco to my parents. She sure was a mystery…

She eyed me once and her eyes landed upon my bandaged leg. It had gotten better, what with Madam Pomfrey's medicine and all, but it was still bloodshot and gruesome. Hoping to remove her gaze from my battered body, I started speaking. "So you're my aunt?"

Nymphadora composed herself and smiled again. "Your mother and I were very close as children. We were practically inseparable. Your mother was always older than I, I have to admit. She was three years older than me, the little bugger… Althea was always one to indulge in the fact that she was older. Nevertheless, she was the best sister anyone could ask for," Tonks—as Malco calls her—explained, intricately focused in the story. The way she described my mother… it was like I could see her as a child in front of me. I'd always wanted to know more about my parents. Suddenly, her expression seemed to change. It saddened. "But then our mother died two years after my birth. She died of an illness. It was quite tragic, really." Well, at least we have something in common.

"Our father remarried just a few months after our mother's death. He'd found another woman in a short time. But that woman was quite… demonic. They separated soon after the wedding and she took most of my father's money… and me. That woman had dared to separate Althea and I forcefully. We hadn't seen each other in so long. That was when Gertrude enrolled me at Hogwarts. Althea was a third year student at the time. Thank god our father had the sense to give Althea the right to study magic. That was always the fabulous thing about that man. We were both placed in Gryffindor and our bond became stronger than ever. No one dared to challenge us, not when we were together," Tonks explained with a smile. Her happy expression had returned.

"And my father?" It was still cautious to ask for all of this information, knowing nothing of this woman. But she seemed to be telling the truth.

Tonks laughed and began reminiscing in the memories once more. "Andrew… Your mother had met him during her fourth year's summer with our father. Andrew had just moved across the street from your mother and was very charming. He swayed Althea the moment she laid eyes on him. They had decided to send each other letters until they met again the next summer. It was quite the romantic couple," Tonks explained.

"Sounds like the book I'm reading," I retorted, pointing to the book on the desk next to her. She eyed it carefully and picked it up.

"_Dear John_? What's this story about?"

"A girl and a boy meet and they're love struck. But he's in the army and is deployed far away. To keep their love strong, they send letters to each other. That's what I'm getting so far."

"Sounds like Althea and Andrew."

"So my father was Muggle born?" I asked, interested in her stories. Malco laid across my lap, listening intently to the story.

Tonks nodded. "But that didn't stop your mother from falling in love with him. Andrew accepted anyone, even me. He was the perfect man for Althea: caring, loyal, trustworthy, brave… He would have been a perfect Gryffindor, had he been a wizard. They married soon after your mother finished school. The wedding was the most special thing ever… white everywhere. Althea was so beautiful in her wedding gown. But unfortunately, events happened that lead to our separation. I became an Auror the year you were born, four years after your mother married. Being an Auror pushed me away from my family. It left me no time to spend with others and even less to see Althea. She'd moved with Andrew far away and we barely saw each other. When you turned five, I was twenty-three. I'd decided to attend your birthday party. That's—"

"That's when you met Malco and me."

She nodded and continued speaking. "You were so adorable. In fact, you looked so much like Thea. You still do Jamie. But you were in incredible danger, especially with your scar." She looked at my neck, seeing the fire-shaped birthmark that cursed me forever. A hand automatically went to my neck, hiding it from her and she sighed. "That night, your parents decided to bring you to the movies. And that was the night Death Eaters decided to attack. They split up, leaving your mother with dozens of Death Eaters, protecting both you and your father, while I took on several of them." Her head bowed in shame and sadness. Malco copied her movements. I still wanted to know what happened and why I couldn't remember her. I couldn't remember seeing her face anywhere in my mind. "Your parents didn't deserve to die, not that way. And you, to be left without a mother and father… Had I been stronger…"

"I've learned to accept that things happen for a reason," I answered, her head lifting with hope.

"Exactly. That night, you stayed at my home, to try and cope with what happened. But that night, I received a letter from the Ministry, telling me you belonged in a foster home. It was devastating to see you go. I couldn't do anything against them. They took you away and they never allowed me to intervene, thinking that keeping you in a foster home would protect you better," She explained her expression changing completely. But something infuriated me. This woman was biologically linked to my mother, yet she never even tried to save me from the orphanage. I was bloody stuck there for four years! No one to love me, no one to wish me goodnight. Nothing for four years, passed on from family to family without happiness.

"Why didn't you try to get me back, if I looked so much like my mother?" I asked, a tone of anger entering the edges of my voice. "I was there four years without anyone to love me." Her devastated eyes made my heart clench. It was wrong to accuse her of anything. She couldn't want me. Looking away, I closed my eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. It was selfish of me to—"

"I tried everything possible to get you out of that orphanage." That shocked me. She had actually tried and saved me from that place?

"But… then how…?"

"The Ministry kept interfering with my adoption plans, saying I wasn't strong enough to take care of such a… burden. Oh, how I yelled at them for ever calling you such a foul thing." That made me smile. Someone actually stood up for me, someone I don't even know. "Everything I tried, they countered it. By the time I had found a solution to their problem, a family had already adopted you. It devastated me but I still kept an eye on you," She said, placing a hand on mine comfortingly.

"You say that you were there at my fifth birthday… but I don't remember you…" I whispered, letting my walls drop completely. Somehow, I felt safe with her.

Suddenly, Malco stepped in to explain this little mishap. "You remember when I told you that Death Eaters attacked you at your sixth birthday?" I nodded and he looked at Tonks. "That Death Eater did more than just wipe a part of your memory. He removed key elements and people from your past. Tonks was one of them," He replied sadly, his head low and devastated. Tonks had the same expression on her beautifully heart-shaped face.

"Well, I wish that Death Eater would have never bloody sent that hex at me. It would have been nice to remember you, Aunt Nymphadora" I answered with a smile, making her shake her head. My smile instantly fell. Had I said something wrong? Would she not want me anymore because I said that?

"Oh, how I detest the name Nymphadora… Please, call me Aunt Tonks," She answered back with a smile, making my fears disintegrate instantly.

A chuckle escaped my lips for the first time in fifteen days. "Alright. So what happens now?" I asked, clutching Malco with dear life.

"We get you out of here. I don't believe you would want to stay here, rather than going back to Hogwarts, to your home," Tonks said while standing up and looking down at me with her flaming purple hair. It made me smile to look at her but it also reminded me terribly of Daniel. Oh, how I wish to be back at Hogwarts _now_.

Nodding, Malco stepped on my shoulder while I gathered my wand and walking cane and stood up shakily. Luckily, Aunt Tonks—it felt so bizarre to call her that, after all of these years of having no aunt or uncle—placed her hand under my elbow and helped me stand. "Thank you…" I whispered with a smile as she kept her arm around my waist, supporting me.

"I'm going to kill Bellatrix and Malfoy…" She whispered, making cringe at the two horrible names. "No one does this to my niece."

"You know…?" I whispered sadly, hoping that it wouldn't change anything.

She nodded and said: "You have no idea how many statues I blew up back home. Remus didn't even do anything to stop my angry rant."

"Remus?" I asked confused.

"My husband. He might not be your biological uncle but he is still your uncle. Remus is quite excited to finally meet you. He's waiting for us at 12, Grimmauld Place."

"What's that?"

"The Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix. We'll be safe there until we give word to Dumbledore that you will be returning to school. Do you need a minute to get your things in order before leaving?" She asked, still supporting my weight. Shaking my head, I pointed to the neatly arranged suitcase next to my desk. She laughed and looked at me with happiness. "Did you know I was coming?"

"Hardly. I did my laundry every night and just putting everything back in the suitcase, knowing that I'd be thrown away to a Muggle family." Her expression saddened and I shook my head with a smile. "I'd much rather have you in my life than some stranger."

"Technically, I _am_ a stranger," Aunt Tonks replied.

Rolling my eyes at her, I said: "You know what I mean." We all laughed at that and she grabbed my suitcase, leading me down the stairs to get the release letter from Madam Corpus. This might be the happiest moment in the last eleven years. Someone I could trust and that would actually love me adopted me.

"Tonks is the perfect aunt for you Jamie. I know her. She can defend you very well," Malco said, snuggling his head into my neck adoringly. Petting his back, I watched Aunt Tonks finish the paper work with a large smile. Right now, everything felt right.

"I hope so…" was my only reply as Tonks came towards us and smiled happily, making me smile in return.

"Ready to go? We'll apparate to Headquarters to make it easier on you," She answered caringly, making my heart warm with love and care. Nodding, we both walked out of the orphanage. Luckily, this was a magical residential area and there was no need to hide whenever we did magic. But suddenly, just as we walked out of the orphanage and towards the park—Aunt Tonks still wanted to make sure that no Muggles were watching—the air became colder and something didn't feel right. "This can't be good…" Tonks whispered as the enemy—or should I say _enemies_—approached. Four Death Eaters approached us, wands at the ready.

Getting both of our wands ready, Malco snarled beside me and leapt onto the ground, phasing into the big cat I had seen only twice in my life. It still impressed me how large and ferocious he could become. Snarling once more, Malco attacked one of the Death Eaters, leaving us to deal with the other three. "How bloody perfect…" I whispered, making Tonks laugh.

"You've got quite the sarcastic humour, Jamie. Just like your mother," She replied before attacking one of the Death Eaters with an unspoken spell.

The Death Eater deflected the attack and tried to attack me but was stopped when Tonks protected me with one of her spells. She really did want to protect. Looking at her for an instant, she winked at me and threw another spell towards one of the Death Eaters. Attacking one of the Death Eaters with a Stupefy spell, I limped towards them, attacking with everything I have. But it still wasn't enough. Two of them were attacking my aunt while Malco fought the one Death Eater and I was fought one. While Malco was finishing his Death Eater, I cornered mine by making him hit a tree. Smirking, I was about to hit him with a Stupefy spell when suddenly, he apparated somewhere. Turning around, I saw that the two Death Eaters that Tonks was battling had apparated as well. And so did Malco's Death Eater. What was happening? All four Death Eaters soon apparated a few feet behind Tonks and pointed their wands right at her. My eyes flew open.

They would use the killing curse on her. No, this couldn't happen. I wouldn't let it happen.

Gathering the strength, I apparated right beside Tonks as she turned around and was about to face the Death Eater's attack and pushed her to the side the minute all Death Eaters performed the killing curse. The green jet hit me square in the chest and made me fly backwards, hitting a tree chest first. Hitting the ground, a gasp in pain escaped my lips while closing my eyes. I was unable to move. Incredible pain shot through my body at the impact. My neck was hurting as I knew my scar was now glowing green. Tonks screamed my name as my hand went to my chest where the Death Eaters threw the curse at me. Breathing now became difficult as the breath was knocked out of me. When turning my head to the side and opening my eyes ever so slightly, I saw Tonks shooting curses angrily at the Death Eaters, knocking some out completely and others wounding them. Soon, they were all fleeing in a large puff of black smoke towards the air.

Malco rushed to me and stood just inches from me, his large head lowering itself to be right above mine. "Jamie, are you alright?" He asked worriedly.

Trying to lift myself ended with no result. The pain in my chest made me gasp in pain with every movement and close my eyes, slumping back down on the ground. Tonks cursed and ran over to me, kneeling down to look at me intently. "Are you alright…?" I asked, my voice hoarse and weak. Tonks placed a hand on my chest, which made me gasp in pain.

"She has a few broken ribs," Aunt Tonks analysed, completely ignoring my earlier question. Malco whimpered at the sound of my uneven breathing. Tonks cursed under her breath as she pointed her want at my chest and looked at me straight in the eyes. "I'm terribly sorry but this is going to hurt," She whispered before she waved her wand and a sharp pain erupted, making me whimper in terrible pain. But as my bones repaired themselves, the pain lessened. I was able to sit. A sigh of relief escaped my lips.

"Thank you, but are you alright? They didn't hurt you, did they?" I asked but she looked at my neck, completely unaware of my questions. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see that my scar was now glowing green. Sighing, my only answer was: "It's nothing."

"Nothing? Jamie, you could have died if that scar had not existed. Why in bloody hell would you do that?" Aunt Tonks exclaimed, her tone worried and furious.

Looking down sadly, I barely whispered: "I can't afford to lose anyone else."

Tonks sighed and placed a hand on my shoulder comfortingly. Looking up, she eyed me with no hint of anger whatsoever. It was as if those seven words affected her more than ever. "Jamie, thank you for saving my life, but you won't lose me, especially not now." She paused and a slight smile etched itself onto her face. "You're just like your mother was, caring more about others than herself. She would have rather died than to see those she loved hurt. Although that was a characteristic that aggravated to no end, it was the quality that made her who she was, what makes you who you are." A smile made its way to my face as she helped me stand.

The moment I was standing upright—with the help of my walking cane and of my aunt—Malco's head rested against my stomach. "Please be more careful Jamie," He pleaded so sadly.

Petting his head with a slight smile, I answered with a simple: "Don't worry, I'll be more careful now," before Malco returned to his feline size, Tonks gathered my luggage and apparated inside a dark entryway.

The dark tapestry wound with flowers and strange designs made the house seem eerie, almost depressing. Very small and dim lights illuminated the hallway but it was barely significant. Tonks winked at me as we all walked to the kitchen, which seemed brighter than the hallway.

"Tonks, welcome back!" A sweet loving voice came from the side. "You took quite your time."

"Hi Molly," Tonks said with a smile as Mrs. Weasley came over to the both of us, enveloping my aunt in a large embrace. "We had a little trouble along the way. A few Death Eaters attacked us."

"Oh my. Jamie, you have quite the terrible luck with danger these days," Mrs. Weasley retorted.

Scoffing, I said: "You can say that again."

Worry etched itself onto Mrs. Weasley's face and she looked me over, finally resting on my battered leg. "Dear, you're bleeding."

"Huh?" Looking down, I noticed that my pant leg turned a slight shade of crimson. Tonks's expression changed instantly as she saw my bleeding leg. "It's fine, no need to worry."

"I find my niece after all of these years and five minutes later, she's hurt…" She said to herself just as a man came up to her, placing an arm around her shoulders. It was the first time that I noticed him standing there in the kitchen. He had light long brown hair that held grey spots in different places with a scar running along his face. He was taller than Tonks and dressed nicely and professionally. Tonks looked up at him and smiled slightly. "Hi Remus." So he must be my uncle…

"You did everything you could Tonks. We'll call a healer and everything will be settled," Remus answered as he placed a kiss upon her hair. Tonks smiled and leaned into his touch. It was adorable to see them in love. Smiling at them, I sat down at the kitchen table and tried to avoid the sudden pain in my leg. Mrs. Weasley came to stand next to me and tried to help me as best as possible while Remus called a healer. Tonks sat next to me and placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder as she tried to make me feel better. And you wouldn't believe how she makes others feel better. With a little help from magic, her face changes shape and she can change into animals. Tonks's face transformed into a duck, a bunny and she made the most hilarious faces. It made me laugh so hard and it felt right. She _was_ a great aunt. And I would do anything to keep her alive, even if it killed me.

**Review if anyone reads this.**

**Bellacullenswan17**

11


	19. Back home

**Alright guys, here's another chapter for this story. READ AND REVIEW! **

**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter!**

Chapter 19

Back home

The healer had come momentarily after Remus had called her. Luckily, the healer works at St. Mungo's and knew exactly what she was doing. She examined my leg and determined the cause of the bleeding. Apparently, there was some unknown internal bleeding and it made my condition worse. The healer gave me some very strong remedies and told me that my leg would be much better in the morning. Listening to her orders, I took the medicine and began walking towards the room Mrs. Weasley had prepared for me for the night.

Tonks showed me to the room and helped me walk up the stairs, considering we didn't want to injure my leg any more. Her hair had changed colour while we were walking up the stairs with difficulty. It had gone from purple to blue, probably meaning she was either worried or upset. "Are you alright Jamie?" She asked once we reached the door to my room. "Does it hurt?"

Shaking my head, I smiled at her and said: "You don't need to worry so much. I've had much worse than this."

Sighing, she placed a hand on the door handle and opened the door. "As your aunt, it's my job to worry," She retorted, her hair still not returning to its normal purple shade.

"You know, your hair reminds me a lot of a boy in my house…" Remembering Daniel hurt my heart at times. I missed him more than I'd like to admit.

Aunt Tonks's eyes lit up the minute that we started talking about boys. Typical… "Do you fancy this boy?" She asked, a smile erupting on her lips and her hair turned purple. She was happy now, and a little too curious. Looking away slightly, I contemplated my answer.

With a sigh, I said: "Yes. Daniel… when I'm with Daniel, it's as if my heart warms instantly. He makes me feel… Well, he just makes me feel. There's a connection between the two of us that I can't simply ignore." Entering the eerie room, I sat down on the bed and looked at my hands on my lap. It seemed to be the best option at the moment. "Bloody hell… I don't know what to do…"

"If you really like this Daniel, then maybe you should tell him what you just told me. He might feel the same way," Tonks said as she sat opposite of me on the bed.

"You know, you sound more like a mother than an aunt at times," I answered and she chuckled.

"Well, I hardly have the experience in both departments. But just follow your heart Jamie. It will tell you what's right and wrong." She stood up and smiled down at me when Malco entered the room and pounced on my bed, sitting next to me. "You might want to get some rest. That leg of yours should be healed by tomorrow," She said before kissing my forehead like any mother or aunt would do and walked out of the room. Tonks might not have the experience of a mother but she sure does act like one perfectly.

Crawling into bed, I pulled the covers up on top of me and Malco nestled himself under my arm. "How do you feel Jamie?" He asked worriedly, looking at me with those silver eyes of his.

Chuckling, I said: "I feel great. Having someone that cares for you can really change a person."

"I told you it would work out," Malco said with a slight smile.

Glaring at him, slight annoyance boiled in me. "You're bloody using the 'I told you so' line on me? How cliché is that?" I asked and he laughed half-heartedly, making my annoyance disappear.

"I just want to see you happy again Jamie," He whispered, snuggling in closer to me.

Holding him tightly, I kissed his furry forehead and sighed. "Tomorrow, things will go back to normal," I whispered before the medicine started affecting me sleep enveloped my mind.

That night, I hadn't had any nightmares.

When waking up, a yawn escaped my lips and I stretched my arms and legs, feeling hardly any pain when flexing my right leg. Lifting the covers from above me, I noticed that my leg had almost returned to normal. Of course there were many scars where the cuts and internal bleeding had been but otherwise, the healer had saved my leg from mutilation. Malco yawned and woke up beside me. "How'd you sleep?" I asked as he sat on my lap.

"Perfectly. How about you?" I asked while getting out of bed and waving my wand around me. In seconds, I was dressed my school uniform. "Oh, how it feels good to wear this again… And I won't need this thing anymore." Grabbing my walking cane, I waved my wand and suddenly, a trash can appeared in mid air. Throwing the cane into the trash bin, the metal can disappeared with a simple flick of my wand and a smile lit up on my face.

"Wow, you really hated that thing."

"More than you could possible imagine." Packing my suitcase took less time than expected. Everything was arranged in under five minutes. "Now, let's go downstairs. I'm sure everyone is waiting for us," I answered as he jumped onto my shoulder and we walked downstairs slowly. When arriving in the kitchen, a surprise awaited me with delight.

"Hello Miss Karsson. It has been a while," The man said with a smile on his old and wise face.

"It has, Professor Dumbledore," I responded with a smile on my face. It had been too long since I'd seen Professor Dumbledore. It just proved we'd be arriving to Hogwarts very shortly.

"I will be your escort back to Hogwarts. Are you ready?"

Nodding, I walked up to him, the smile still on my face. Aunt Tonks and Uncle Lupin—I'd learned his last name yesterday when the healer had come—came up to me, both wearing a sad smile. Maybe they didn't want to see me leave just yet. Tonks handed me a letter and I looked at it confused. They nodded at me before I opened the letter to find a small picture of the two of them, smiling at me and looking at each other from time to time. This was the beauty of magical pictures: they moved constantly, showing how happy and what that person was doing at the time. A large smile erupted on my face as I looked from the picture to my uncle and aunt. "Thank you," I whispered as Uncle Lupin placed a hand on my shoulder and wished me good luck.

Tonks hugged me fiercely and whispered in my ear: "Please write while you're at Hogwarts. We'd love to hear from you soon," before we separated.

Nodding, I said: "I will. Don't worry."

Tonks turned her attention to Malco still on my shoulder and looked him straight in the eyes. "You better protect her Malco. We don't want to lose her when we _just_ found her," She said in a warning tone.

Malco nodded intently and everyone, including Mrs. Weasley, smiled at me before Dumbledore apparated us back to Hogwarts. Looking up at the castle, my heart warmed. I was finally home. A sigh of relief escaped my lips as Dumbledore and I walked up the stairs and entered the school, facing the Great Hall. My smile never left. It felt right to be back to school.

"All the students are enjoying their breakfast in the Great Hall as we speak. If you would like to arrange your things before eating, you're free to place everything in the Gryffindor Common Room. I assume you remember where to go?" Dumbledore asked with a sly smile, winking at me happily.

Nodding, I answered with a smile of my own: "Of course sir."

"Then you best be on your way. It's good to have you back, Miss Karsson," Professor Dumbledore replied before walking towards the Great Hall, probably attending to his duties now that he was back.

Walking up to the Grand Staircase, I sighed happily before walking up the moving staircases. It felt absolutely perfect to feel the staircases move under my feet. I'd missed that terribly. I'd missed everything about this place. It truly was my home.

When arriving in front of the painting, smiling from ear to ear, the Fat Lady looked me over, practically judging me. So much for my good mood… "It seems you've returned. It didn't take long for a family to adopt, did it?" The painting asked with a slight smile. Was it just me or every painting loved to bloody gossip about everything? "Frankly, it hasn't been the same around here…"

"Thanks… I think?" I said, looking at her confused. Was that a compliment on her part? Well bloody hell… I recited the password and the painting swung open, revealing the bright red and gold Gryffindor Common Room. Turning once slowly around, I took in every drapery, every scent of the fire burning in the middle of the room, the chess board by the wounding staircase… everything. It seemed as if it had been years instead of weeks that I had last been here.

"Wait a second," Malco said as he jumped from my shoulder and landed on the arm of the red couch. Nodding, he said: "Alright, now you can twirl happily."

Rolling my eyes at him, I couldn't help but twirl happily and land on the red couch. It felt so good to be back, knowing that my friends were here… that Daniel was here. Sitting straight on the couch, I sighed and began walking towards the Girls' Dormitory, thinking deeply. Would Daniel want me, if I expressed myself fully to him? Did he find someone else that could please him better? God I hoped not… Entering the Girls' Dormitory, I sighed happily and saw that my bed had not been replaced. It was still there, beside Hermione's and it was neatly folded, just like I left it two weeks ago. Malco ran up to the bed and jumped onto it, circling a spot on the bed like a dog. He sighed and laid on the end of the bed, a smile forming on his face.

"I missed this bed. It's so soft," He said while I placed my luggage beside my nightstand, grabbed my toiletries and headed towards the bathroom. "You're taking a shower just before going downstairs to meet up with everyone?"

"Why not? Besides, I have a lot on my mind at the moment and it would help if the steam could help me think. Don't talk to anyone while I'm gone," I warned before entering the bathroom, taking off my clothes and hopping in the warm shower. The hot water trickled down my skin, making me feel relaxed and mostly clean. The steam from the shower helped me clear my mind of Daniel until the time came. Of course I was probably going to meet up with Daniel downstairs but the hot and relaxing water helped me think clearly. "Oh… what am I going to do?" I whispered to myself while bringing my head back and the water came in contact with my face. It was nice but also aggravating to be in such a predicament.

Sighing, I washed my hair, gelled my body and hopped out of the shower in no time. After putting on my uniform and looking through my toiletry bag, I found that my brush was missing. Maybe Malco had seen it somewhere? Placing the towel over my shoulders, I ruffled my hair with the towel while getting out and asking: "Malco, did you see my brush somewhere? I can't seem to find…" But my sentence was cut short when Hermione stood in front of my bed, petting Malco's head, "it. Hi Hermione."

"Jamie!" She exclaimed happily before rushing over to me and wrapping her arms around my neck, almost suffocating me. But it didn't matter. I was so happy just to see her that it didn't matter if she cut off my air supply. "You're back!"

Wrapping my arms around her back, I laughed and said with happiness: "Yes, so you've noticed."

"Oh, I'm so glad you're back! When _did_ you get back exactly?"

"Oh, about five minutes or so ago. Dumbledore apparated us back before breakfast was over," I explained while going over to my luggage and finding the brush right by the edge. It must have fallen out of my toiletry bag when I grabbed it. While brushing my hair, Hermione couldn't stop smiling at me. With a smile of my own, I asked: "How long has breakfast been going on? I'm famished."

"Everyone is still eating! They'll be thrilled to know you're back!" She grabbed my wrist just before I could put the brush down and ran down the stairs towards the Great Hall. Hermione's smile never faltered. As she bounced down the long staircase, she kept a strong hold on my hand, just in case I'd disappear at any moment. With my luck, it could happen any day. No bloody wonder she was clinging onto me so tight that both of our knuckles were turning a pale white. "I can't believe you're back…" She whispered as we ran down the stairs, almost two at a time. We bounded down the long staircase and Hermione and I ran straight into the Great Hall, seeing most of my friends sleeping or half asleep. How late had they been up? Hermione had probably kept them up past midnight. She went up to them but they hardly seemed to recognize her. "Everyone, wake up! There's a special guest here," Hermione mentioned with a large smile.

Harry lifted his sleepy head and gazed back at Hermione with half closed eyes. "Another five minutes, Mione…" He mumbled and placed his head back on his arms sleepily. Hermy shook him awake and he finally looked at her. "Yes Hermione, what is…?" He looked at me and I smiled at him. Finally, he realized that it was me and started shaking people awake. "Guys, wake the bloody hell up!"

"Why…?" Ron whined while getting up slowly.

"Well, I can always go back to my aunt and uncle if you want," I retorted and everyone looked up at me. They recognized who it was and all jumped up at once and hugged me. It felt good to be surrounded by my friends again. It felt like home.

"We're so glad that you're back," Ginny and Luna said in unison, which made me laugh. "It hasn't been the same."

"Wait, did you say you got adopted?" Hermione asked curious as everyone surrounded me. So far, everyone in the Great Hall began to look at us and we all sat down at the Gryffindor table. "Please tell us!" They all looked at me with a curious and ecstatic face. Chuckling, I took out the photo Tonks and Lupin had given me before leaving this morning and placed it on the table. Hermione, Harry and the gang looked at the picture and gasped. Looking at them confused, Harry picked up the picture and smiled.

"You're in good company Jamie," Harry said with a smile.

"Why's that? You know them?" They all nod at me.

"Professor Lupin was our DADA teacher in third year. He was amazing, until he was suspended from the school…" Ron mentioned but looked away at the end of his sentence.

"What? Why?"

"Because he's kind of a… werewolf." My mouth opened in shock. A werewolf? How could that be? But… I pushed the thought out of my head. It didn't matter. The fact that mattered was that I had a family that cared about me. It didn't matter that Aunt Tonks's husband was a werewolf. He was still part of this family.

Shaking my head, I said: "Doesn't matter. They adopted me and that's the only thing that mattered. Aunt Tonks loves him anyways," was my simple retort and they were the ones to look at me confused now.

"_Aunt_ Tonks?" Neville asked.

"Yeah, apparently she's my biological aunt." They looked at me shocked but they all smiled and Harry patted me on the back.

"Congrats Jamie," Harry said before someone caught my eye. His black hair catches my attention the minute he enters the Great Hall. Daniel… Looking at him, I stood up and watched him stop. He had seen me. His brown eyes gazed at me and it seemed as though he was frozen in shock.

"Jamie…" He said while approaching me.

"Daniel…" was my only reply. Wow… how stupid was I at the moment? But he didn't seem to mind. Just as my feet stated moving, he came running and scooped me up in his arms. Wait… what? As he set me back down, Daniel gazed into my eyes and his hair changed colour from black to brown. He was happy.

"You're back…" He said, a beautiful smile spreading across his face, making me smile.

"Yes… I'm back," I said and he brought his face closer to mine.

"I'm so happy that you're back." And then he brought his lips to mine. The connection filled me again and my heart warmed as his hands came up to the side of my face. His kiss was full of love and yearning. He'd missed me. When separating, he looked at me with those chocolate brown eyes, love filling them every second. "I love you, and I'm sorry that I didn't say it before." Shock filled me. He… he loved me? How could that be? With everything that happened since my arrival here, it seemed like Daniel was pushing farther and farther away from me. But… he loved me?

"I love you too," I said with a large smile.

Daniel's face lit up with happiness and his lips crashed onto mine again.

This truly felt like home.

**Alright so what did you think? Like it? Hate it? Let me know in some REVIEWS!**

**Bellacullenswan17**

9


	20. Frightening relationships

**Read and review please.**

**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter.**

Chapter 20

Frightening relationships

It had been a week now that I was back at Hogwarts. Everything was working out. My friends were thrilled to have me back and we were now closer than ever. Daniel knew exactly how we felt about one another and we had been going out since my arrival back. It felt right to be close to him or even in his arms. Our connection burned brighter and grew stronger with every kiss or even every moment close to one another, making me smile every time. But there was one thing that never went away...

The nightmares.

They haunted me every single night since I returned. Even Malco couldn't calm me down. My eyes had sometimes closed when leaning on Daniel but there were no nightmares of flashes when he's around. It was as if he had a light of his own, chasing my nightmares away. Yeah, I know... Bloody cheesy. But it worked. Deep large bags circles my eyes from lack of sleep and it made Daniel worry about me, even more than usual.

"Still having trouble sleeping love?" Daniel asked as we leaned against a tree on the hill, looking at the waterfront. Well, in fact, Daniel was the one leaning against the tree. I was leaning against him, my eyes closing of their own free will.

"Hm... how'd you know?" I asked, a small smile creeping on my tired face. Opening my eyes slightly and leaning my head back to look into his brown orbs, his expression radiated sadness for some reason. "What's the matter?" He placed his fingers awkwardly under my bagged eyes and circled them delicately.

"I just hate seeing you like this... I really wish that I could help you sleep better at night by chasing those nightmares away," Daniel said, love filling every word that left his lips. But my laugh could not be hidden. "Hey! Don't laugh at me! I'm speaking from the heart here." A short but heartfelt laugh erupted from my mouth. Daniel pouted playfully after my laughing fit, making me look at him with a serious look. "Jamie..."

"I know Daniel, but they'll go away in time."

"Jamie, you've been saying that same bloody sentence every day for the past week and they still wake you up every single night, panting!"

Looking at him confused, I asked: "Who told you that?"

"Oh, you're not the only person I know in Gryffindor that's worried about," He answered, looking at me with a serious visage.

"Let me guess, Hermione?" He nodded, making me sigh and look back towards the waterfront. "Remind me to kill her later."

"Oh come on Jamie, she's only concerned about you."

"She's always concerned..."

"With good reason. That's what friends do, especially best friends," He answered, making my heart pinch in guilt. Every night, Hermione would shake me awake, soothing me after the awakening. They'd extended the Girls' Dormitory and made it so that there were two beds in one room that was connected to the other rooms. Hermione and I took that room. Apparently, Professor McGonagall felt more comfortable placing me with someone that I could trust when sleeping, in case the nightmares were becoming insufferable.

That first night, Hermione had tears running down her eyes in worry when she woke me up. Apparently, I'd been talking in my sleep, asking them not to kill my friends. Because that's what the Death Eaters did; they tortured me and threatened me that if I didn't give them what they needed, they would go after every single person I cared for the most. It scared me to no end to imagine the people that matter most in my life, suffering and dying because of me. But... after a few nights, she shook me awake, knowing that the flashes wouldn't leave so easily. Last night, when she shook me awake, I had my wand in hand... ready to attack her. I apologized and apologized time and time again but she would just shake it off with a smile. You could see that Hermione was afraid of what would happen, just like I was. "Jamie?" Daniel asked.

"Did she tell you that I almost attacked her last night?" I asked, my voice breaking towards the end. He seemed shocked for a few minutes before his arms enticed around me, enveloping me in a tight embrace. Placing a hand on his arms, I said: "Last night was the same as all of those other nights. But this time, I... I had my wand in hand when she woke me up." Looking down, my eyes closed in self hatred. He could feel it too.

"Jamie, it's not your fault. It was instinct and fright, that's all," He whispered in my ear ever so delicately.

"Daniel, she's my best friend and I almost attacked her. What if tonight, when I go to bed and she wakes me up, I attack her? What then?" I asked, my voice thick with tears that would not be shed.

"Then we'll deal with it if it happens, which it won't. Jamie, they're not there. The Death Eaters won't come after you again. I'll make sure of that," He promised, his hands rubbing my upper arms soothingly. Looking up at him with glistening eyes, he placed his hand on my cheek and brought his lips down. The connection sparked between us and my heart and head felt better, almost as if my troubles had been shredded.

Closing the kiss, he moved a stray hair away from my face and saw a tiny scar along my hairline, moving down my forehead. His face scrunched in wonder. "How'd you get this scar?" He asked, tracing it with his finger tenderly. My face fell as memories flowed through my mind, recalling what happened during the first relationship I had.

"I... I don't think you want to know..." I looked away from him and my face fell. His expression softened and became worried.

"Is it really that bad? You can tell me. I won't judge," He said softly.

Closing my eyes, I sighed and began telling him the horrible story. "It was during my second year. I had been transferred to another school because of my scar. The professors didn't know and they didn't need to know what it could do. When arriving, there was this boy... His name was Andrew... He was my first love. He said many things to me that warmed my heart and made me feel safe... _Don't worry, I'll always be there to protect you_, he said one day when we were looking at the sun setting. But then... a few days after, he saw my scar... That's when everything changed..."

"_You witch! How dare you make me believe that you're normal?" Andrew asked before his fist came in contact with my left eye. This was the first time he ever hit me but it didn't stop there. His boot came in contact with my ribcage many times before he started speaking again. "You're a freak! A bloody freak! I cannot believe I ever had feelings for _you_!" _

"_Andrew... I—" But I was interrupted when his boot collided with my head, which made me see stars._

"_Don't even talk to me, you monstrosity! You and your atrocity of a scar should just go to hell and die alone!" He said before kicking me in the head again and everything went black. _

"I'd been in the hospital wing for a few days. With the amount of times his shoes collided with my head, he had given me a concussion and a small scar. But... I don't even know why I'm telling you this..." Standing up, I looked back at Daniel and he was in shock. He just looked at me and then to my scar. He... he thought the same way. He would begin to think that it was an abomination, something that shouldn't exist, along with its wielder. Looking away, I closed my eyes and said a simple: "I'm sorry," before walking away from him, tears finally flowing from my eyes and onto my cheeks. Daniel deserved someone better than me, better than a freak by his side. And that's all I ever was: a freak, a monstrosity.

"Jamie, wait!" Daniel said from a distance, which only made me walk faster. But he ran at me, grabbed my wrist and made me stop. He turned me around gently and looked at my tear-stained face. "Why'd you run off like that?"

"Why aren't you calling a freak, like everyone else?"

"What?" He asked confused and shocked all at once. His hands never left my wrists and the tears just kept on coming down my cheeks.

"Why aren't you calling me a monstrosity like everyone else? That's what I am! No one ever gets close to me because _I'm a freak_! I can't see why you're still around me! You should be running away, screaming at the top of your lungs that you don't want to be near the freak! Why aren't you running away from me?" I asked, my voice rising with every sentence. But the pain was coming out and Daniel could see that.

His hands were released from around my wrists and went to my cheeks, making me look him straight in the eyes. "Jamie, listen to me. I. Am. Not. Andrew. And I never will be. And I never _ever _want to hear you say that you're a monstrosity. Because you're not. You're nowhere _close_ to a monster. You're selfless, thoughtful, kind, gentle, the list goes on. And that's what I love about you. I love everything about you and I would never want to change it for the world. Ask Harry, Hermione and the others and they would say the bloody same thing. I love you, Jamie Karsson, and I want you," Daniel said, love spilling with every word spoken. Closing my eyes, I leaned into his and he enticed his arms around me in an instant. Finally, the tears just spilled over and sobs racked through my entire body. "There Jamie, it's alright. Everything's alright," Daniel soothed, running a hand over my hair tenderly.

"I... I'm just... afraid of losing you... I'm afraid of getting close to you and get hurt in the end..." I said in-between sobs, clutching dearly to him in case he would disappear. Daniel held onto me tighter and planted a kiss on my hair.

"You're not going to lose me. I promise that I'll do whatever I can to keep you out of harm's way," He promised. And for once, I believed him.

For the past few nights, the nightmares kept getting worse. This time, Daniel was in them. He was chained to the walls, blood pooling from various cuts on his body. And in the end, it was either him or me who died. I hadn't had the guts to tell him about my nightmares because they would terrify him too much. And it horrified me to think that he could be killed because of me. Hermione had once again shaken me awake but last night was different. I'd done something unimaginable to her...

_I'd been having my usual nightmare. Hermione kept yelling out my name and my body was jerked awake. But this time, I'd placed the tip of my wand in the crook of her neck. I was panting and my eyes must have looked ravenous for revenge. "Jamie...?" She asked warily when my breathing had become frantic and my expression changed. Realization struck me as I watched the scene in front of me. My best friend was looking at me with fear in her eyes, either fear for me or fear for her own life as the tip of my wand was still at the top of her neck. _

_Shakily, I released my wand and just let it fall onto my bed then onto the floor. "Oh god..." My voice was uneven. My body was shaking with fear. One hair away and I could have attacked her... Hermione... _

"_Jamie, are you alright?" Hermione asked while lifting her hand and her fingertips brushing my arm slowly. But I recoiled from her touch, sliding farther away from her in my bed. She shouldn't be anywhere near me at the moment. I was dangerous. I could have hurt her... if not worse. "Jamie, it's alright. The nightmare's over. You're safe," Hermione soothed, a friendly comforting smile appearing on her heart-shaped face. _

"_But you're not... I nearly attacked you Hermione... I think you should stay away from me..." I answered shakily, my whole body racking with fear at the moment. _

_But she shook her head in denial. __"You didn't hurt me Jamie. __I'm perfectly fine, see?" She said, pointing to herself. _

_Shaking my own head, I brought my knees up and wrapped my arms around them. "I'll sleep somewhere else tonight... make it easier for you and the others..." I answered, rocking myself gently while trying to calm myself. This was not easy. If the nightmare had gotten worse, Hermione could have been seriously injured. But she placed her hand on my shoulder and made me look at her. "Why aren't you afraid...?" _

"_Because I could never be afraid of you. Jamie, these aren't just nightmares. They're flashes of traumatizing events and it's not going to go away easily. What you need at the moment is comfort and friends. And that's why I'm here. And that's why Ginny and the others are there for you. They're here to help you as much as they can Jamie," Hermione said as she brought me in a large hug. Hugging her by the shoulders, the shaking hadn't stopped. But she just hugged me without another word. _

"_How can I deserve such wonderful friends...?" I whispered, still hugging her._

_She chuckled and released me, looking me in the eyes. "Because everyone needs friends to rely on. In the toughest times, it's the only thing you can rely on. You going to be alright to go back to sleep?" Nodding, we both went back to our beds with a final goodbye and tried to fall back asleep. But the thought of hurting my friends still haunted me that night... _

It was terrifying to think that she could have gotten hurt so quickly and so easily. What if next time, she would actually get hurt? The thought still rang through my mind as we went to bed tonight. Hermione was smiling tonight, obviously because she had been out with Harry this afternoon and they'd kissed in the clock tower, their usual meeting place. It was the most romantic place in the castle and the quickest, what with the secret passageways and all. But when she looked at me, that smile seemed to have disappeared. "What's the matter?" She asked worriedly.

"Are you sure you don't want to sleep somewhere else tonight? I don't want to hurt you..." I said but she just rolled her eyes at me. "Hermione, you've got large bags under your eyes! You haven't slept well since I came back to Hogwarts! You need your rest."

"I don't, actually."

"Hermione..."

"Jamie, do you remember what I told you last night?"

"Yes but—"

"There are no buts about it! I'm staying and that's final. If I get hurt, then that's the risk that I'll take," Hermione responded as she climbed into bed, pulling the covers over her body. Sighing, I knew there was no way to convince Hermione otherwise. She was much too stubborn for that. "Goodnight Jamie."

"Night..." was my final response before climbing into bed and shutting my eyes slowly, hoping that the nightmares will cease for one night...

"Sectumsempra_!" _

_Daniel's cries rang through the dungeon as they tortured him in front of me. There were too many cuts to count on his face and body. Blood was pooling at an incredible amount and his eyes seemed to droop constantly. He was weak, very weak._

"_Stop it!" I screamed, getting the attention of Daniel's tormentor. "Stop hurting him! Please!" _

"_Give us what we want and we'll spare your friends," Lucius Malfoy replied, his cold voice sending shivers through my entire body. He approached me slowly but menacingly. _

"_Torture me instead. He doesn't deserve this!" I screamed at him, ignoring Malfoy Senior's order. Malfoy Senior's face hardened and he tsked at me. _

"_Not what I wanted to hear, I'm afraid." He turned around and used the __Cruciatus__ curse on Daniel, making his screams of pain rake through the room. It was unbearable. My heart broke at every scream that escaped his lips. If only there was a way to save him... _

"_Jamie!" Daniel screamed at the top of his lungs. "Jamie, wake up!" Wake up? I was awake. I was staring at him, his beaten form getting tortured before my very eyes. There had to be some way to get Lucius away from him... There had to be... _

_Suddenly, my bonds seemed to have loosened and, soon enough, my hands were free. My wand stood only inches away from me, a weapon capable of stopping Lucius from hurting the man I loved. When removing my bonds, my hand grasped my wand and pointed it towards Malfoy. "_STUPEFY_!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as the jet of red light erupted from my wand. The room went red and then there was just black. Nothing anymore. _

My eyes were wide open at the scene in front of me.

My wand was outstretched, pointing towards the wall in front of me. Sweat poured down my face as my breathing became laboured. But the person lying on the floor unmoving made me freeze. Hermione was sprawled against the wall, eyes closed and mouth slightly open. Her body was unmoving and the only sight that showed that she was still alive was the slightly lift of her chest.

I'd attacked her... one of my worst fears becoming reality.

"H... Hermione...?" I asked shakily while getting out of bed slowly. Was this all a dream? No... this was reality. My best friend was on the floor, unconscious because of me. This had to stop.

"Jamie?" Malco asked, waking up from his slumber. He looked at me, then at Hermione's still form on the floor and back at me in shock. "What happened?"

"I—" Just then, some girls came in the room and saw Hermione. As they saw her, the girls began to panic. Ginny knelt down next to my friend's still form and placed Hermione's head onto her lap, elevating her head protectively. Ginny looked at me and seemed at a lost for words. My wand was still in my shaking hand.

"Jamie..." Ginny said, her voice thick with fear and slight anger. I... I had to get out of here.

Running past them in my pyjamas, I ran down the stairs, Malco following me at a fast pace. Why he was following me was a mystery but it was nice to have his company. No one else followed. They must still be in shock from what happened. I'd hurt Hermione... my best friend... She was hurt because of me... Running towards the closest chimney, I grabbed a handful of Floo Powder and threw it in the fireplace, making the fire spit green. "Where are we going?" Malco asked just as I was about to jump.

"Somewhere far. Somewhere away from everyone I care," I answered before jumping in the fire, not knowing where we would land.

**Review please.**

**Bellacullenswan17**

11


	21. Runaway

**Read and review please.**

**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter.**

Chapter 21

Runaway

The Floo Powder system brought Malco and I far away. It seemed as though we were in a dark alley, somewhere that was deserted. Malco lay on my shoulders, looking out at the alley. Weird… the Floo Powder usually is linked to one chimney to another… Looking back, there was an old abandoned chimney just lying there, crumpled. Well… that explains it. Who would throw a fireplace away just like that?

It was very dark and scary but it was the only place that would be safe for me. "Jamie, we don't have to run. Hermione's going to be fine," He whispered to me as I started walking towards a street. Looking on both sides, the streets were empty. There were no citizens walking around these parts of the city, making it better for me to get around, undetected. "Jamie, you need to stop."

Stopping in the middle of the sidewalk, I looked at Malco. "I hurt her Malco! I hurt my best friend! She's unconscious because of me! I can't let this go on! It has to stop…" I whispered the last part when arriving at a cheap motel. We entered and the front desk man eyed me suspiciously but let it go shortly after. "I need a room. Will this be enough?" I asked while showing him a handful of pounds in my hands. He eyed it and typed in a few keys in his computer before facing me with a room key reading 412.

"Here is your room key Madam. Enjoy your stay," He said with a fake smile. Taking the key, I walked to the elevator and pushed the fourth floor button. Malco kept his mouth shut until we arrived in my room. Shutting the door behind me, I walked to the corner and slumped down.

"Jamie, please. Let's go back to Hogwarts. You're not safe here," Malco pleaded, walking over to me and pleading me with his eyes. Usually, it would work, the whole pleading with the eyes thing. But not now. Not when my world was crumbling down. "Please Jamie, please listen to me. Don't run away from them. You need to go back where it's safe. Please Jamie, for me. Just do it," Malco pleaded, his voice racking through my heart.

"I… Just give me the night. Please… I… I need to get away and… and clear my thoughts," I pleaded to Malco, letting my eyes do the talking. He could see my fears and sadness through my eyes. Basically, anyone who knew me well enough could see my soul through my eyes when the barriers were down. "Please Malco…"

Sighing, he laid next to me and placed his head on my lap. "Alright, but just the night. And I'm staying with you, through everything. I'm your guardian and your friend," He promised, making my heart feel at ease for now. Scratching him under the chin, he purred and made me smile slightly.

"Thank you," I whispered and hoped into bed, seeing as it was only around two in the morning. My eyes fell on their own but, knowing my track record, the nightmares were bound to follow me soon enough…

"NO!" I screamed, sitting up in bed, sweat pouring down my forehead. Panting heavily, Malco sat bolt upright and looked at me with worried eyes. Placing a shaky hand on my wet forehead, I took a deep breath and sighed. "I'm fine…"

"No Jamie, you're not. These nightmares have gone on long enough," Malco said, looking me straight in the eyes as I rubbed my overly tired eyes. "You haven't slept for months. Pretty soon, you won't be able to function properly because you'll be too tired."

"You know, you sound like a doctor right now instead of my pet," I added sarcastically while swinging my legs out of bed and shakily going over to the bathroom. Of course, Malco followed me.

"I am your Guardian, Jamie. And I'm practically over the moon worried about you, especially with Voldemort on your trail," He mentioned, making me groan. Right now, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was not on my priority list. His name was practically at the bottom of that particular list. "Please Jamie, just make me feel better and get some rest. Or better yet, go home. Go back to Hogwarts and talk to Hermione." A cringe of pain coursed through my heart at the mention of my best—or ex-best—friend's name. She would never want to speak to me again. "And you promised that you would go back today."

"Malco, don't remind me. Just… let me go buy some clothes and I'll apparate back to Hogwarts," I said, looking at him and he sighed defeated.

"Fine… But make it quick," He warned.

"Yes _dad_. Now if you'll excuse me, I need a shower so shoo." He jumped out of the room with a slight smile, something that hadn't been seen in a long time. Smiling back, I closed the door and jumped in the shower undressed. It felt good to have the warm steam exfoliate my face. It awakened me slightly and made me function for the moment. But it also helped me think, think about everything that happened. Hermione… would she ever speak to me if I came back? Probably not… Would the others hate me for what I'd done? Probably… Things weren't looking good at the moment. "Ugh… what a horrible mess I made…"

This was going to be an interesting few hours.

After brushing my teeth and getting ready—in my pyjamas still, I might add—Malco and I hit the shops. Although he wasn't allowed in the stores, he looked out from the windows, hoping that I wouldn't escape. I wouldn't escape without him, never. He was my best and probably only friend at the moment and he had been there through all of my rough patches. He meant everything to me. Everything…

Buying a few essentials was pretty simple. A nice and cheap shirt with cheap jeans fit soothingly on my body. It was still a little chilly outside so a cheap jacket was suitable for now. And it didn't cost me all that much. Just a few pounds later and I was able to walk around without being embarrassed. Yes, I have to admit that I was quite embarrassed about walking around with my pyjamas and nothing else. Frankly, everyone must have had a good laugh but it didn't matter to me at the moment.

Walking around the city, the air seemed to have gotten colder and the streets became deserted. It was almost as if the city had been flushed out of their citizens for hours now… It didn't feel right. Not at all… "Malco? Something doesn't feel right…" I whispered while looking around me.

"I know, I feel it too," He answered, the fur on his neck standing upright. He jumped off of my shoulders and transformed into the giant Guardian. Turning around, there didn't seem to be anything. Another deserted corner of the street… A sinister laugh came from behind me, making me turn around in a millisecond.

And there he was.

"Voldemort," was my only reply as his serpentine face never left mine. Suddenly, his wand was raised and my body was thrown backwards far away into a wall. A gasp of pain escaped my lips as my back exploded in pain and I slid down the wall. Malco tried to snap at Voldemort but he erupted in a large puff of black smoke and shot up into the sky.

Malco rushed to me and asked: "Are you alright? Where does it hurt?" But I wasn't able to answer him as the puff of black smoke came back. Getting up painfully, Malco helped me stand and we started running away from Voldemort. But it wasn't our best plan…

"You can't run from me!" Voldemort screamed from behind us as many jets of colour shot past us.

"Malco, I want you to run away from here!" I shouted at him while running away from the Lord of all Evil. But of course Malco looked at me in shock.

"I'm not leaving you!"

"You're going to have to! I want you to run!"

"No!"

"Malco!" I gave him a stern look and there was nothing that he could say to change my mind. "Please…" In his eyes, it showed that he didn't want to go but he nodded.

"Be safe," He whispered before shouting the word 'Hogwarts' and in the next moment, he was gone. At least Malco would be protected…

Sighing, I ran as fast as my legs could take me. But it wasn't enough. More jets of green and red colours shot out around me as Voldemort approached me. The edge of the town was coming to an end and the forest came up ahead of me. One of Voldemort's curses hit me square in the shoulder and made me fall on the ground, left arm breaking my fall. A few scrapes covered my arm but I shot myself up and ran again. It was a coward move but, in my tired state, fighting him would be futile.

"You can't run forever Jameson…" He mused happily as a few more hexes and curses were shot at me, a few hitting me in the legs or in the back and shoulders. It would make me fall to the ground and gasp in horrible pain. Why did he want me so badly? Couldn't he just find a way to dispose of my curse without all of this chasing around? "Ha! This is much better than anticipated!"

Voldemort didn't try to stop in front of me. Apparently, he liked being the predator in this horrible game…

I shot a Stupefy spell at him but he dodged it pretty easily while lifting myself up and running. But my course came at a stop when I ran up to a cliff. No… This can't be the end. Looking down, the water must at least be two hundred feet below and sharp rocks were protruding from the waves. Even if I did jump, the waters would probably kill me in an instant. One way or another, I wasn't making it out of here alive…

"Did you think that you could run away from me?" Voldemort asked once he started approaching me. The cliff didn't go very far, which meant that any attempt to escape was futile.

"It was a possibility…" was my lame answer. With my injured leg, I wouldn't be going far.

"Jameson, with your injuries, you're easily out-numbered, not by numbers but by power. You see, in your state, I am clearly the most powerful," He mused as I panted for breath. His attacks were quite powerful, which—at the moment—started to hurt on my exhausted body. "Did it hurt when you received the full blast of my attacks?"

"No…" I lied. Of course they hurt! He had stunned me many times and slammed me into a wall! He loved to see my face of anguish once I started running again. Good thing I had learned to apparate or I would have been dead a long time ago.

"Quite foolish of you to believe that I would not attack you… I need your gift."

"Wasn't it quite foolish of _you_ to come here alone?"

"Not foolish, smart."

"How so?" We were now circling each other. Good thing Malco followed my orders to leave. I knew he was my guardian but if he got hurt because of me, I would never be able to forgive myself.

"You see, you don't need men to be powerful. You need good sources." What did he mean? "Look up Jameson."

And out of stupidity, I looked up and was horrified. Dementors enveloped the sky, at least twenty of them. "Oh Merlin…"

"Yes Jameson, you figured it out. The Dementors will only attack you when I order them to. And in your state, it won't take many of them to suck your soul dry." He really planned to kill me… I needed to get out of here. It was the only solution.

So I ran back towards town. But Voldemort shot a curse at me and it hit me straight across the spine, making me stop in my tracks and falling to my knees. Falling face first, I knew that my spine must have been injured. Any movement that my body made shot an extremely painful sensation to my spine. "Pathetic witch. Running will do you no good," Voldemort said as his footsteps started to become closer and closer. "So, ready to surrender?" He asked as he placed his dirty foot under me and turned me over, causing a great deal of pain to my spine. A yelp of pain escaped my lips, causing him to laugh. "Ah, how I adore the sound of pain. Now, answer my question," He threatened before stomping his foot on my stomach, forcing my back to hit the dirt hard.

Another yelp of pain escaped my lips. "Never…" was my feeble answer as I stared him straight in the eyes. His smile disappeared automatically.

He removed his foot from my stomach, helping me breathe slightly. Before he started speaking in his devilish voice once more, he kicked me in the ribs, which probably broke one or two of them. "Maybe this will change your mind…" He mentioned before taking his wand from his sleeve and pointing it at me. This couldn't end well.

"Going to try the killing curse… on me…?"

"My dear, I have other ways of hurting you. A certain teacher of yours taught me this one. _Sectumsempra_." A flash of white light escaped the tip of his wand and shot ferociously into my body, jerking it upward. It was the same sensation as when Malfoy had hit me with that same curse. It felt as if I had just been slashed a thousand times across my body. My head fell backwards after the hit of the curse and my body wasn't functional anymore. "Now, I will ask my question again, ready to surrender or shall I use force on you once more?"

It took everything that I had just to croak out a small answer. "You'll… never… get this… curse…"

He was furious now. Someone was actually standing up to him, not just Harry but myself as well. He approached me and waved his wand at me, chanting an incantation and another wave of pain hit me, causing my lungs to start to fail. That much was obvious. "You insolent little half-blood! You will pay for your insolence," He said before I was lifted in the air. "Suck her soul!" He said before the air became colder, stiffer. Oh no… The Dementors were coming. A few seconds later, I felt my body being jerked forward and my strength evaporating. The next thing I knew, a white light appeared and enveloped me.

This was it. This was death.

There was no pain here. Nothing. Just a comforting light. My parents and foster parents were waiting at the end of the light. My parents… It had been years since I've seen a glimpse of them and now, they were in front of me, waiting for me to join them probably in heaven. Or maybe I was going to hell.

"STOP!" Someone shouted. It hadn't been my parents or foster parents. It was someone from the outside, outside of this white light. Without my knowing, something was sucking me back, away from my parents.

"NO! I want to stay!" I screamed at them but my parents just waved me off as I re-entered a body that was in extreme pain. A gasp of air escaped my bruised lips and I tried to open my eyes, only they didn't open very far. Although my vision was blurry, I saw Voldemort; a smile was plastered on his serpentine face. Turning my head hurt. And I noticed that my body was floating in the air.

"Ah, Dumbledore. You've finally come to rescue your little protégée," Voldemort snickered. Dumbledore? What the bloody hell was he doing here?

"Let her go Tom. You won't get anything from her," Dumbledore's calm voice said. He shouldn't be here.

"Let her go Voldemort!" Daniel's voice screamed. Wait… DANIEL? What the bloody hell?

"I see that I am out-numbered. But remember Dumbledore, I won't stop. This gift of hers is extremely valuable. But, I will do as you wish." Suddenly, someone propelled me forward, towards the cliff.

"NO!" Daniel screamed. My body started descending the cliff and towards the black water. I turned sideways, forward and flipped backwards until my body hit the water painfully. I sank in the water, unable to move or to swim. My arms were immobile, just like my legs. What more could I do but die in this dark water? My eyes started to droop before I saw a white figure approach me in the water, then everything went black.

"Breathe!" Someone screamed. Who was that? Something pushed on my chest, causing extreme pain. Why am I in such great pain? Suddenly, the pushing stopped and someone opened my mouth and flowed air through my body. A gasp of air escaped my lips once the air was delivered. "Jamie!" A young man said as my wheezy breathing hitched and the cold enveloped me.

"Jamie, can you hear me?" I heard an old male voice ask. Dumbledore…? What the bloody hell? "We need to get her to a healer. Madam Pomfrey does not have the right equipment to help her," He said before someone placed their arms under me. A moan of pain escaped my lips. Now, my mind recalled everything that happened. Voldemort chasing me, a cliff behind me, trying to run away but Voldemort shot a curse at me, my spine hurting a lot, the Sectumsempra curse being shot at me, being lifted in the air, the Dementor's kiss, seeing my parents… "I'm sorry Jamie," Dumbledore said before we were pulled backwards. What was happening now?

"Madam Pomfrey, look over Jamie. I need to get in contact with a healer," Dumbledore said before I was placed on something soft. A bed.

"What happened?" An older female voice asked.

"Voldemort came after her and wanted her gift again," Dumbledore explained before his footsteps went away and a door closing could be heard.

"Will she be alright?" A younger man voice said. It sounded extremely familiar… Daniel? He didn't need to see this. No one needed to see me in this state. I was a coward for trying to run away from Voldemort, which ended in consequences.

"I… I honestly don't know Mister Stromb," Madam Pomfrey answered hesitantly. Someone grabbed my hand.

"Come on Jamie, hang in there. Please. For me." Suddenly, out of nowhere, my body started to convulse. What was causing this? It certainly wasn't my doing. "Madam Pomfrey!" Daniel shouted as the violent shaking continued. A tender hand was placed on my arm as many people tried to hold me down by the shoulders, arms and ankles. But the shaking wouldn't stop.

"She's having a seizure. She won't feel much pain after this." And suddenly, something was injected in my arm, making me feel drowsy. "It was probably caused by…" But that was as far as I got to hear what Madam Pomfrey explained before everything went black.

**Review please.**

**Bellacullenswan17**

10


	22. Coward

**Read and review please.**

**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter. **

Chapter 22

Coward

My senses came back to me after much darkness and the events from before flooded my mind as a groan escaped my lips and my eyes opened a small crack. "Jamie?" A young male voice asked from somewhere around me. My eyes weren't open wide enough to see who it was and turning my head was too difficult. A cough erupted from my throat as a hand curled up on mine. "Jamie? Can you hear me? It's Daniel," Daniel asked, his voice soothing me against the slight pain in my body.

Forcing my head to the side, I saw his beautiful face through blurry eyes. "Daniel…?" I whispered painfully. His face softened at the sound of my weak voice and he placed a kiss upon my lips. He was here… by my bedside. He hadn't abandoned me.

Something furry tickled my arm, moving from under my elbow to my hand. It was Malco. "You're alright Jamie," He whispered, making me panic slightly. Did he just talk in front of Daniel? How could he?

"Malco…" I said; my voice only above a whisper.

"It's alright Jamie, he explained himself. Everything's alright, just calm down," Daniel said, placing a hand on my cheek delicately. Some of my energy returned and my eyes finally fully opened to look at him. "Hey," He said, a smile forming on his lips as we looked at each other.

"Hey yourself…" I said; my voice still not very strong. Sitting up slowly—with a little help from Daniel—my hand went to Malco's head, petting his fur softly.

"How are you feeling? The healer did everything she could to make you better…" He said, sitting beside me on the bed. Daniel took my hand and stroked it softly.

"What do you mean, she did everything she could? Is there something wrong with me?" I asked, panic building inside of me once more. Was there something wrong with me? Voldemort might have seriously injured me back there but would Daniel still take me if there _was_ something wrong with me…?

Daniel smiled at me and placed his forehead against mine, planting a kiss upon my lips before moving to place his lips beside my ear. "The only thing that she couldn't fix was your sleep deprivation." Rolling my eyes, he continued with a small laugh. "The healer gave you a little potion, giving you a few good nights' rests."

"Wait… how long have I been asleep?"

"A few days. You were in a horrible shape when Dumbledore and I found you…" His expression faltered, remembering me at my worst on that cliff. He'd seen how much of a coward I'd been back there… "I almost lost you Jamie… There was so much blood. And you were barely breathing… You really scared me Jamie," He whispered, filling my heart with guilt.

"I'm so sorry Daniel," I said while looking down, hiding my face from him. But he placed a finger under my chin and lifted my face, our eyes meeting. Daniel intertwined his fingers through mine and brought our lips together. The connection made me feel stronger, as if his life energy was flowing inside of me, giving me strength. When removing his lips, Daniel just looked at me without saying a word. "How can you not hate me like all the others…?"

"What?" He asked confused.

"I attacked Hermione the night I left… I didn't hear her at the cliff. She must hate me by now…" I answered sadly, trying to look away from him but he would always bring my face back to look at him. Malco didn't say a word. He just stayed against my leg, listening to the conversation.

"Hermione doesn't hate you, Jamie. She wanted to come and help you but Harry made her stay. He said…" Shaking his head, Daniel redirected his sentence in another direction, hoping to spare my feelings, "he's not very fond of you at this moment in time but he'll cool down eventually."

"Daniel, what did Harry say? You can tell me," I said softly, making him hesitate. He must think it's too horrible to mention out loud… What exactly did Harry tell him? "Daniel, please."

Sighing, Daniel said: "He insulted you and shouted many others things. I couldn't take anymore of what he was saying so I…" Daniel looked away, his sentence unfinished.

"Daniel, what did you do?" I asked gently, confusion and wonder rising in my voice.

"I… I punched him, alright? He didn't have the right to say anything about you!" Daniel exclaimed, making me jump slightly. How could he _punch_ Harry? Bloody hell… "Everything that he said about you was a big fat bloody lie. I couldn't take hearing another word come from his mouth. He—"

Placing a finger on his lips, it silenced him completely. "Thank you Daniel but I do believe that punching him might have been a bit of an extreme, don't you think?"

"No, it's not! Jamie, he does not have a right to be like this towards you. In fact, he shouldn't have acted that way, period. And if he ever does such a thing again, I might have to place him in the hospital wing," He responded, no hint of jokes in his voice.

"Daniel… You can't put him in the hospital wing. He's still your friend." _And apparently, not mine anymore…_

"He's not my friend anymore Jamie," Daniel stated, making me sigh. His hand went to my cheek and he removed a strand of hair from my face. How I ever deserved a man like him is beyond me… "I promised you that I would keep you out of harm's way. And that's exactly what I'll do," He whispered, his voice filled with love.

"I love you," I whispered back to Daniel, kissing him on the lips.

"I love you too," Daniel answered, kissing me back. Looking at him, most of my strength had returned and I was able to swing my legs out of bed. Of course, Daniel began to worry and looked at me confused. "Jamie, what are you doing? You're supposed to stay in bed."

"I've had enough of this bloody hospital wing. Every other week, I'm in here, stuck for days. I need out Daniel, please," I begged, using my power of persuasion. He fell under my gaze and placed an arm around my waist, supporting me if needed. Leaning on him, we walked down the hall and up the staircase towards the Gryffindor Common Room. When Daniel gave the Fat Lady the password, we entered the familiar red and gold room. A breath of relief escaped my lips when Daniel brought me to the couch. "Ah… It feels so good to be back here."

"I suppose it does after you've been gone so long," Daniel said, sitting down next to me and reaching an arm out around my shoulders. As footsteps could be heard from the winding staircase, I leaned into Daniel's side, enjoying his company. "It's so good to have you back Jamie," He said while kissing my hair.

"You!" A male voice was heard from behind us. It seemed quite angry and familiar. Turning around, my eyes met Harry's angry green eyes. Standing up, I walked over to him and stood inches from him, confused.

"Who, pray tell, are you shouting at?"

"How dare you come back here, after what you did to Hermione? Don't you realize that she was in the hospital wing for _hours_? She wouldn't wake up at all, _because of you_! You monster!" Harry screamed at me, pushing me backwards. Luckily, my balance saved me for once and I didn't fall.

"You son of a—" Daniel began but I stopped him from speaking anymore. This was my fight, not his.

"Harry, you know that I would never—" But my sentence was interrupted when Harry's fist collided with my left eye, making me fall down on my side. Placing my hand over my left eye, Harry about lunged at me when he was stopped by Daniel, who caught him by the shoulders and pushed him against the wall. Just then, Hermione and Ron came down the stairs, looking quite shocked at the turn of events.

"Daniel!" Hermione screamed, trying to remove my boyfriend from on top of Harry. Ron removed Daniel and held him in place.

"Ron! Let me go!" Daniel shouted, trying to remove himself from Ron's grasp but he was unable to do so.

"Bloody hell! What's gotten into you mate?" Ron asked, still restraining Daniel. My boyfriend stopped resisting and began glaring at Harry. Unfortunately, the boy who lived never got a single scratch on him, while I got the black eye. "Daniel, calm the bloody hell down!"

"Harry just punched Jamie in the face and you expect me to _calm down_?" Daniel exclaimed, fighting against Ron's grip again. Hermione gasped in shock and looked at her mate. He came over to her and seemed almost proud of what he did. Hermione looked at my form on the ground and seemed… apologetic?

"She kind of deserves it…" Ron whispered loudly enough for me to hear. Every word they were saying was cutting through my heart. They were abandoning me… like I knew they would from the very beginning.

"Ron, how can you say that?" Ginny exclaimed, coming down the stairs with Fred and George. Somehow, this Common Room seemed to have become quite crowded. But no one seemed to approach me, as if they were afraid I'd hurt them as well. "It was only an accident."

"Ginny's right, Ron. Jamie did it by accident. I'm fine," Hermione said, pointing to herself with both hands. Still, a pang of guilt ran through me at the thought of my best friend lying on the floor like that…

Harry took one step towards me but was interrupted by Daniel exclaiming: "Harry, if you ever even come close to her again, I swear to God I'll—"

"I want nothing more with _her_," Harry said, looking at me and saying the word 'her' with so much hatred it ripped through me.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, looking at Harry with disbelief. "How can you say such a thing about Jamie?"

"Hermione, she put you in the hospital wing! She _attacked_ you! How can you forgive her for that? She said that she would never hurt any of us and Jamie hurt you. How can I just let that go?" Harry exclaimed, shooting me a dangerous glance at the end. Without speaking, I just stayed on the ground, looking up at all of them. Hermione became speechless, unable to defend me any longer than she had to.

It was over. I'd lost. Game over. Simple as that.

Getting up, I walked past everyone, even Daniel, and went up to the Girls' Dormitory towards the small room that had been added to the Dormitory. It had been the room Hermione and I had shared for the last few days and now, it was all going to be for not.

At this moment, there wasn't anything I would rather want more than to be invisible or dead. All of my friends had abandoned me, all except Malco and Daniel. I was alone… Was there any point in staying in this House? At this school? Alive? Maybe not… Sighing, I started grabbing a few sheets and a pillow, went downstairs to find the Common Room practically empty, all except for Daniel, Harry and Hermione but, the minute Harry saw me, his eyes turned cold and he started walking towards the Fat Lady painting. Hermione, of course, followed him hesitantly. With another sigh, I began placing the sheets on the couch with Daniel looking at me with a confused look.

"What in the bloody hell are you doing?" He asked while approaching me.

"Making a bed… I obviously have nowhere else to sleep. Maybe I should just grab these sheets and go to the boat house… No one will hate me there…" was my sad response while putting the pillow against the armrest. Sitting on the makeshift bed, Daniel sat beside me, wrapping his arms around me.

"There's no way in hell that you are going to sleep in the boat house. I'll be with you here, by your side," He said, kissing my forehead.

Looking into his eyes, one of my eyebrows lifted and I asked: "Daniel, are you implying that you want to _sleep_ with me?"

He chuckled without humour and said: "Jamie, I'm not going to abandon you like the others. I'm going to stand right by your side and help you through this." Placing my head against his chest, his chin rested upon my head as he continued. "Besides, I did say that I wanted to chase those nightmares away for you…"

Rolling my eyes, I looked up and saw him smiling down at me. Honestly, I didn't know why he would choose me but he did… and it was the most wonderful thing anyone could ever ask: to have a boyfriend as wonderful as Daniel by your side when you need him the most. He truly would stick with me through anything.

Hopefully danger would not find him…

For the past few nights, I'd slept on the couch. And trust me; it's not bloody comfortable, even with Daniel behind me, holding me close to him! One good thing was that, for some odd reason, the dreams were haunting me less and less. Maybe the fact that Daniel was here, _sleeping_ _with me_—still can't bloody believe that—made it better for me at night… But Daniel's social status dropped immensely. Everyone at Hogwarts thought I was the monstrosity of the school and since Daniel was staying by my side, everyone began to avoid him. It wasn't fair and I repeated that to him but he wouldn't leave. Daniel didn't want to leave my side and it made me feel awful. He didn't deserve this… _any_ of this.

As the days have gone by, Harry and Hermione were constantly together. Apparently, Harry didn't want his mate to stand anywhere near me, or any of his friends for that matter. Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, Luna… they'd all stayed away from me. I was even forced to eat at the end of the Gryffindor Table in the Great Hall. It was pitiful…

A week and a half later, nothing had changed. In fact, it had seemed to have gotten worse. But that night, my mind became fixed… all because of a vision in my nightmare.

_Bellatrix Lestrange was torturing me, both emotionally—by hurting Daniel and my ex-friends—and physically. Many gashes and cuts protruded on my skin as she continued to torture me. But suddenly, the scenery changed. I was kneeling in front of Voldemort in the middle of a clearing in the forest. From our surroundings, that's what it looked like to me. Getting up quickly was painful. It seemed as though Bellatrix might have left but the wounds she inflicted upon me stayed. Voldemort laughed at my pitiful effort but began to speak._

"_I've grown tiresome of this cat and mouse game. So now I am forced to get inside your head and deliver this message to you,"' He said, his cold voice making me shiver slightly._

"_And what message might that be?" _

"_Meet me tonight for one final battle. Winner takes the curse."_

"_No bloody way."_

"_Do it or your aunt dies." That struck a horrible spot. He had my aunt? How could one person stoop so low? _

"_Leave her alone! She has nothing to do with this!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, pain starting to overwhelm me. He had Aunt Tonks… she could die because of me! No. No one else would die. Or… maybe he was bluffing. He could be luring me into a trap to get my curse. _

"_Oh but she does…" His sickeningly white moved to the side and, out of nowhere, my aunt was dragged in by two Death Eaters. A gasp of shock escaped my lips. Her skin was badly cut and bruised. Her head was bent so I couldn't see her face but she was horribly weak. One of the Death Eaters grabbed her grey hair and made her look at me. Even the sight of her beautiful face was gruesome! They'd beaten her so badly… _

"_Aunt Tonks!" I screamed, a tear running down my face. The Death Eaters took her away and I wanted so badly to go and get her but my body seemed to be frozen. It wouldn't move in the slightest. Only my voice was functional. "Let her go!" _

"_Meet me tonight in the Forbidden Forest or your aunt dies." And then, everything darkened and the vision faded. _

My eyes shot open but my body stayed frozen. Voldemort had my aunt… one of the people I cared for most in this world and she would die if I didn't meet him. And that wasn't going to happen. Not on my watch.

Turning slightly around, Daniel had his arm hanging around me but he was fast asleep, not even detecting that I moved. Looking at him, it was official that this battle would not end well. I probably wouldn't come back alive. Malco was sleeping on his shoulder, the blanket covering half of his small furry body. He wouldn't see me alive as well… Oh well… it was the price to pay to save someone else's life.

Slipping out of Daniel's arm, I waved my wand around myself and changed into some nicer clothes than my pyjama. Looking back at both of them, I kissed Malco and Daniel on the cheek softly, sighed and walked out of the Gryffindor Common Room for the last time of my existence.

One thing was for sure: I was off to meet my death.

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**Bellacullenswan17**

10


	23. Facing death

**Read and review.**

**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter.**

Chapter 23

Facing death

When walking out of the school, my stomach began to knot uncomfortably with all the different emotions playing inside me.

First, there was fear, fear for my aunt's life but nothing else. No fear of dying, not even fear for what would happen next. Second, there was sorrow, sorrow that my friends had abandoned me in my darkest hours and would care less if I died tonight, but also sorrow that I was leaving Malco and Daniel alone in this cruel world. Third, there was a slight hint of happiness, happiness that I was saving lives instead of risking them. That was the greatest way of dying, right? To know that you were dying for a good reason? To save the ones you love? To me, that was the perfect way to end my life.

My movements were slow as my feet brought me towards the Forbidden Forest. But suddenly, a distant friendly voice stopped me in my tracks. "Jamie!" Malco screamed from behind me. Turning around, I saw that he was running as fast as he could towards me, to try and stop my actions perhaps. But he was clueless in this matter. Malco didn't know my intentions and hopefully wouldn't find out. When reaching me, he panted and sat in the steps close to Hagrid's hut, looking me straight in the eyes. "And just where do you think you're going?"

Shrugging, I lied and said: "Just out for a stroll."

"In the middle of the night?"

"I had a bad dream, needed some air."

"Towards the Forbidden Forest?" He asked, inclining his head towards the dark forest behind me. "Jamie, what's going on?" Sighing, I gave in. There was no point in arguing. He had won this battle and I'd rather leave this world with a clean soul than to know that I lied to him before dying.

"He has her, Malco. He has Aunt Tonks. And… I can't let her die." Somehow, my words sunk in and his eyes grew wide. Malco knew exactly what I was about to do and he was against it.

"No! No, no, no, no, _NO_! You are _not_ doing this!" He shouted, standing on all fours. Sighing once again, I turned around but a flash of light appeared from behind me and suddenly, a large feline with misty eyes blocked my path. "Jamie!" He growled, making me flinch slightly. Malco was sad but used anger to hide that emotion.

"Malco…"

"No! I won't let you do this! I… I can't!" Malco exclaimed, his eyes glistening with tears. It was the first time I saw Malco cry, especially over me. Walking over to him, I placed my hand on his furry cheek and placed my forehead down onto his. "I can't let you do this Jamie... I can't lose you. You're my best friend."

"Malco, you're my number one best friend in this world. And I'm sad about leaving you like this but it has to be done. Please don't make this any harder than it has to..." I pleaded, my eyes closing as his fur comforted me. This would be the last time we'd see each other. Our final goodbye… Somehow, I felt sad, sad that this would be the end for me. But they all needed to live, and with me in the picture, that wouldn't happen. "This needs to be done… But when I'm going to die, I—"

"_If_ you're going to die!" Malco retorted, looking me straight in the eyes.

"_When_ I'm going to die, I want you to deliver a few messages."

"I will do no such thing!"

"Malco, please."

"NO!"

"Why are you so against this? If I go and meet Voldemort, I'm not coming back alive. You know that," I said softly, my voice easing him somehow. "Please do this for me Malco." He sighed and looked sadly at me, letting me know that I can continue speaking. "When I die, I want you to tell Hermione and the others that I'm sorry, for everything." He nodded. "And tell Daniel that I love him more than anything and that I'm sorry for leaving like this. And if you see Aunt Tonks and Uncle Lupin again, tell them that they were the best family I have ever had and I love them always, alright?"

"Jamie…" was his only response. Malco knew as well as I did that this wouldn't end well. My death was inevitable, especially at this point. Hermione and the others wouldn't feel regret about my death. They hated me now so what was the point in feeling sorrow for me? Suddenly, Malco nudged his nose under my arm and whimpered. "Please don't do this…"

"I love you Malco. Always remember that…" were my final words before kissing him on the forehead and walking into the Forbidden Forest to meet my death.

The crunching of the leaves and branches under my feet made me feel calm for some reason. It felt normal, almost as if this gentle walk towards Death was just a stroll in the park. But it was much more important than that. The rustling of the wind in the trees was refreshing as it also blew in my face, giving me comfort. But all of those emotions vanished when my eyes came upon my murderer.

Voldemort was waiting in a clearing, far from the Hogwarts castle. When walking into the clearing, he smiled sickeningly and beckoned for his followers to leave us. They obeyed and we were just the two of us. "You have come to face your doom, have you now Jamie?"

"Where's my aunt?" I asked, getting straight to the point. He chuckled and seemed to enjoy my question.

"The lovely thing about projection is that you can fool anyone, even mere witches such as yourself." My eyes must have widened at his sentence. He didn't have my aunt. I was coming here for nothing. She must still be at home, sleeping with her husband… while I was risking my life for nothing. But this wasn't all for nothing. Others would be safe. Maybe my curse would kill Voldemort right now. Everything would be over. "I simply projected an image of someone you cared for and you came running like a lost puppy looking for shelter. How quaint… and very effective. Now I have you exactly where I need you," He mused, his icy voice still sending chills down my spine. The important thing was that he didn't have her.

"You monster…"

"Oh, I have done much worse than simply fooling you, such as your first Quidditch match." That got my attention. What was he bloody talking about? "Such naïve professors… They don't even recognize when they are being controlled."

"What are you talking about?" I asked curiously.

"You see, I've had a spy from the inside. He's done a lovely job for me since the beginning of the year. You might know him as your Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Severus Snape." So Malco was right… Snape couldn't be trusted. He'd used me to get to Voldemort. That's why he had shown everyone my curse all those months ago. It was for Voldemort. That's why he's been after me since that day… Everything made sense now. "At first, I wanted to simply kill you to make it complete: kill your entire family. But since you insisted on living, Severus did a little research. And what we found was extravagant. And I will get your gift in the end. Make me an all powerful lord!" He chanted, raising his hands slightly and flashing a smile that showed all of his teeth.

"And the poison in the Griffin? That was Snape's doing also?" I asked, prolonging this as much as possible.

"Of course. Seeing as he was the ancient Potions master, it was the perfect setup. But when he showed everyone your gift, there was no need for Severus anymore. I took the opportunity to kill you myself. Of course, my loyal Death Eaters had a little fun with you along the way but your death will be on my hands Jamie. There's no avoiding it," Voldemort cooed, a smile spraying across his face once again. My hand tightened around my wand in anger. He did it all out of greed and amusement. All of it..

"This will end tonight." Every word coming out of my mouth felt like venom. They were filled with hatred and revenge against this monster. He was no longer a man. Voldemort was a monster of the night.

"Yes it will."

And with that, both of us shot curses at one another. Unfortunately, Voldemort had gained experience since the last time we met and he deflected my charms easily. They were too weak. He shot many killing curses my way and only a few hit me. It made my neck burn but the feeling gave me courage and made my spells stronger somehow. Usually, the curse made me weak. But now, with my last breaths of life, it made me strong. With my new found strength, my curses and hexes came quicker and stronger, making him falter in pain.

"You won't win! You will never get this curse!" I shouted, shooting more curses at him. But he laughed a sinister laugh and brought his hands down.

"That is where you are mistaken Jamie…" Out of nowhere, he stepped towards me and his body became black smoke. Only his face remained vivid.

My expression must have become scared because he had never done this to me. It seemed as though my fright was strengthening him. Shooting charms and hexes at him was futile. In his eyes, fire burned. The fire of the kill. Taking one step back, I tried shooting a hex at his face but it seemed to evaporate into his body. It was no use. The smoke enveloped me and I tried defending myself in it but to no result. Suddenly, his face appeared in the smoke and a sharp pain entered my stomach. A gasp of pain escaped my lips and my wand fell out of my hand to the ground. The smoke evaporated and Voldemort's body became complete. A sinister smile appeared on his face as one of his snaky hands was lifted to my face to show a small draw of black blood from his palm.

"That was the one thing that was missing from my plan: the transfer of blood." He slipped his snaky hand behind my neck to my scar and suddenly, a flowing sensation went through my neck and my life seemed to leave me. As the life left my body, my eyes seemed to go distant, almost empty. Voldemort laughed as my eyes became empty and the life slipped from me completely.

There was no longer pain. Only nothing. It seemed as though my scar had disappeared completely and transferred into Voldemort. A monstrous laugh erupted from his lips as the transfer completed and there was nothing anymore. Darkness surrounded me and that was the moment I knew my life was over.

A bizarre sensation filled me as my soul seemed to have stayed on Earth. There I was, looking at Voldemort from the side as he cheered over a body… my body? How could this be? Looking down at my hands, I noticed that they were misty, almost transparent. Looking back at Voldemort seemed to be slow. Suddenly, Voldemort started turning around and the only thought that ran through my mind was this: _I hope he doesn't see me._ But he turned around as if no one was there beside him. He was laughing maniacally and a fiery scar showed behind his neck, glowing green. A black aura seemed to surround him as Voldemort gloated with pride.

"It's finally mine!" He cheered before looking back at my body. It was lying on the side, hands out in front of its chest. A bloody knife was protruding from its chest, blood still pouring slightly out of the wound. But its eyes were the thing that made me panic. They were empty, two dark brown orbs that were very distant. The amulet my parents had given me many years ago had fallen out of my shirt, falling on the forest ground lifelessly.

Suddenly, a large growl erupted from the forest and a large white feline jumped out of the trees, growling at Voldemort. Malco. Voldemort laughed and smiled darkly at Malco. My pet looked down at the lifeless body and his expression darkened and became sad. He looked back at Voldemort, his lips slightly parted and wanted to growl but no sound came out of his mouth.

"I'll return at dawn. Get ready to surrender," Voldemort sneered before disappearing in the air with black smoke. Malco walked slowly to stand in front of my body and whimpered, nudging my shoulder but there was no response on my behalf.

"Jamie…?" Malco asked, his voice small and weak compared to his true form. He nudged my face slightly, making it turn with his nose but it simply fell back on the ground lifelessly. "No… Jamie!" He turned me around and found the knife embedded in my stomach. Malco used his teeth to lift my body up by my shirt and my arms fell limply to the side. It felt horrible to stand here and watch as Malco walked with my lifeless body. "Dumbledore's office…!" He said, his voice muffled because of his hold on my lifeless body's shirt. But as he flashed away with my body, I felt myself flash as well, as if my soul was following my body. Suddenly, we were in Dumbledore's office.

"Malco, what is the…" Dumbledore began but when Malco turned around and faced him, the old man saw my lifeless body in Malco's jaw and rushed over to their side. Malco laid my body down on the ground and Dumbledore placed two fingers against my neck to find a pulse. But there was none. The Headmaster's eyes became grave and he just stared at my empty eyes. Closing his eyes, he placed both hands on the body's arm and Malco began to panic.

"Isn't there anything you can do?" He practically shouted, lying down beside the body, placing his head on my pale arm. My misty form just stood there, looking at all three of them sadly. They were grieving because of me. "Please Jamie, wake up…"

"She's gone…" Dumbledore turned my head slightly to the side, making Malco growl at him. At this moment, he didn't sound like a cat. It was more like a lion, one that had just lost a family member. The body's neck was slightly tainted in black blood but there were no mark. "And so is her scar… It's over. He won."

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**Bellacullenswan17**

8


	24. Grief

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**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter.**

Chapter 24

Grief

"No! This can't be the end! There has to be something we can do." Malco looked back at my lifeless form on the ground and whimpered. They all looked so pained, especially Dumbledore. He looked defeated._ What if they saw me? Would it make them feel better? _Just as suddenly as the thought popped into my head, Dumbledore seemed to be looking at my misty form in shock. _Oh no! Please, make me disappear! _But his eyes became confused now. It was as if he had just seen a ghost. Maybe he had. Looking back at my lifeless form on the ground, he didn't dare close my empty eyes. It looked like it scared him to close them.

"I found her like this in the woods. Voldemort was gloating in front of her. He said something about returning at dawn," Malco informed, still keeping his head on my arm as Dumbledore curled his hand slowly around the knife. Malco growled once again and Dumbledore removed his hand from the weapon. "She can't be gone…There has to be something we can do."

"I'm afraid there isn't, Malco. If Voldemort is coming at dawn, it doesn't leave us much time to evacuate the school. There's no possible solution to save the students. We'll have to defend them with everything we have. But we must inform Tonks and her friends of what happened. They should know… It only seems fair." Dumbledore stood up and apparated away from the room. There was only Malco, my misty form and my lifeless form still staring at the ceiling with empty eyes.

Gliding over to the both of them, I placed my misty hand on Malco's shoulder. He seemed to have noticed something abnormal but never paid any attention as he began to cry over my body. There were tears in his steamy grey eyes. For the first time, I was able to see my best friend cry. "Jamie, please come back…" He begged but there was no response.

"_Malco…_" My voice seemed transparent and empty, like the eyes staring straight up.

Out of nowhere, Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Uncle Remus and Aunt Tonks apparated in the room, facing away from Malco and my body but towards Dumbledore's desk. They still couldn't see my misty form, just hovering around the room. It might be for the best that I was invisible to them. But… could they seem me if I commanded it? Now was not the time to try.

They turned around and Professor McGonagall gasped in shock, placing a hand to her mouth immediately. Uncle Remus looked shocked and seemed unable to move. But Aunt Tonks ran towards my form and stopped in front of it, her eyes never leaving the pale face and empty eyes. Falling on her knees, she crawled over to my form and placed her hand on my cheek delicately. Malco laid on the other side of my body, sitting up to let Tonks cradle the body in her arms. It felt weird to refer to myself as 'the' body. It was still me; my soul just wasn't in its body. I was only a visitor at the moment, watching over.

"No… this can't be happening," Tonks said, looking into my lifeless eyes. She moved her shaky hand towards my face and closed my eyes slowly. Her eyes darted from my pale face to the wound in my chest. She wrapped her hand around the dagger and pulled it out of the body, making its back arch and fall back in her grasp lifelessly. "Who did this? Did _he_ do this to her?" She almost growled.

Dumbledore nodded and Malco continued. "She thought he had you. That's why she…" Malco bowed his head sadly and Aunt Tonks looked at them all with shock. She looked back at my lifeless body in her arms and a single tear fell from the corner of her eye. Uncle Lupin knelt beside her and enticed an arm around her shoulder comfortingly, knowing this pained them both to lose their niece.

"What should we do now?" Professor McGonagall asked sadly, her voice sounding like a tremendous effort.

Dumbledore sighed and just kept on staring at my lifeless body in Tonks's arms. She began to cry harder and placed her forehead against my motionless one. "He will be coming back at dawn. We need to gather all the teachers and prepare ourselves for the fight ahead of us. I would ask Severus to help but he has been absent from the school for quite some time." Sounds like Voldemort disposed of Snape like he said, not that I care about the traitor. "Minerva," He finally looked at her and seemed sad, "please tell Professor Flitwick to gather the teachers. I need you to bring Jamie's friends to my office. They have a right to know what happened." Professor McGonagall nodded and began walking quickly out of the office.

Tonks looked at Malco and couldn't seem to get any words out. She was grieving. It was difficult for her to accept the fact that her niece was in fact dead. I could tell that she was angry at him for not protecting me like he said he would but she couldn't be mad at this moment. There was too much grief in her system. It felt like my soul was tightening at the sight of my aunt's tearstained face. Tonks seemed so strong… It was a shock to see her this upset and even worse to see those tears in her eyes. She was crying over someone she barely knew… Why would Tonks cry so much over me?

Malco stayed silent, almost looking as lifeless as my body looked like. Maybe he blamed himself for what happened, because he didn't stop me when he should have. But Malco knew me enough that when my mind was set, there wasn't any chance of changing it. But now that my soul left my body, Malco felt worse than ever, all because of me… This was horrible. He shouldn't feel bad, not because of this.

Everyone was feeling sorrow and grief because of me. Because of my stupid mistake. I hadn't weakened Voldemort. I'd made him stronger, almost indestructible.

But somehow, my soul felt like there was something it had to do before leaving this world… An unfinished business. Could it be that I had to kill Voldemort before dying? It could be.

Dumbledore stood there, silent as ever as everyone cried over my body. But for some reason, his eyes darted over to my invisible misty form from time to time. Did he know that I was here somehow? Well, he _was_ Albus Dumbledore after all. Dumbledore walked over to my aunt's shaking form and kneeled down sadly and slowly, placing a delicately wrinkled hand on her shoulder soothingly. "I'm terribly sorry," were his only words. But it angered my aunt even more.

She turned her head sharply and looked into his saddened eyes, not flinching at her glare. "This school is suppose to protect students, not get them killed! Don't you understand that my niece is _dead_ because you couldn't bloody _protect her_? Well, do you?" She exclaimed.

"Tonks, calm down please…" Uncle Remus said but she turned on him as well, jostling my body slightly.

"Remus, I will not calm down! The cold dead body of my niece is in my arms and you expect me to _calm down_? All I want to do right now is hunt down and rip the bloody head off of the monster who did this to her! I want revenge on Voldemort! Don't you understand? She's dead… My niece is dead…" Aunt Tonks finished sadly and placed her forehead against my pale one and cried once again. Lupin closed his eyes and stayed silent as his wife cried endlessly. Malco bowed his head and laid down next to my lifeless arm, it hanging limply at my side.

"_Guys…_" I said, my voice distant and unreachable to them.

In a matter of seconds, Professor McGonagall opened the door and a male voice could be heard coming towards the office. "What is the meaning of this? Where is she?" Daniel asked, practically running through Dumbledore's office in his night clothes. He looked around the room before his eyes fell upon Tonks. She lifted her tearstained face and looked him straight in the eyes. Looking back at Daniel, he was just staring at my body. Tonks couldn't look at Daniel anymore and bowed her head, looking back at my lifeless face.

"What's going on Professor Dumbledore?" Hermione asked while coming into the room. Ron, Neville, Luna, the Weasley twins, Ginny and Harry came in the room and looked at my body in Tonks's arms. Hermione gasped and placed her hands to her mouth, unable to say anymore. No one spoke but they all looked shocked. Daniel looked worse than all of them. He looked… heartbroken and empty, almost as if his heart and soul had been ripped out when seeing me. Daniel mechanically made his way over to my body and fell to his knees. It almost seemed as if he couldn't stand on his own two feet anymore. Tonks handed my lifeless body over to Daniel willingly and he cradled me gently and delicately, looking at my face serenely.

Harry tried to take a step but Daniel sharply turned his head towards my ex-best friends. His eyes were burning with anger. "Don't you dare take one step towards her! If you hadn't _abandoned _her, maybe she'd still be alive right now!" Daniel shouted, squeezing my lifeless body tighter to his chest.

"_No I wouldn't Daniel… Nothing would have changed…_" I said but of course he didn't hear or see me. Hermione seemed to have started crying and her eyes felt ashamed for some reason. "_Oh, now you care…_"

"We—"

"You abandoned her?" Aunt Tonks asked shocked, looking at Harry and the others. They looked down, unable to meet her gaze or see my lifeless body. Tonks didn't have any words to say to them and Uncle Lupin just wrapped his arms around her, letting her cry on his shoulder. A small tear escaped the corner of his eye as he soothed her as best as possible.

"We… I never meant to say those things to her. I… I was just angry," Harry stuttered, his voice emphasizing shame and sadness. Well, he should feel that way, after everything he did.

"You called her a monster mate… That's low…" Ron muttered, making Malco growl at Harry. But it seemed as though Harry truly did feel guilty for his actions. Was it right to want to forgive him?

"I… I wish I could take it all back… Everything," Harry admitted, his head low. Hermione cried on Ginny's shoulder as Neville hugged her shoulders, looking as saddened as the rest of them. Luna cried on Ron's chest but he just closed his eyes to hope to forget the scene in front of him. The Weasley twins were looking down, unable to say anything at the moment but Harry was the one feeling guilty all on his own. In some way, he deserved it but on the other hand, he did say he was sorry. What to do… Daniel simply cradled and rocked my lifeless body, hoping that by some miracle I would come back.

But my soul had left my body and it wasn't coming back.

"She died feeling lonely and abandoned by the people who mattered the most to her… But she asked me to deliver a few messages to everyone," Malco said, grabbing everyone's attention. They all looked at him and he began speaking again, looking at my ex-best friends. "She asked me to tell Hermione and the others that she was sorry for everything." My ex-best friends all looked at him and Hermione began to cry even harder along with Ginny and Luna. The expression on the males' faces in the room seemed to have darkened and saddened even more. Malco looked at Aunt Tonks and Uncle Remus and said: "She said that if I ever saw you again, she wanted me to tell you that you were the best family she ever had and that she loves you, always." Aunt Tonks began to cry harder on Uncle Remus's chest. My uncle shut his eyes in pain and planted a kiss upon Tonks's dark grey hair as she sobbed harder. It was hard to watch them all cry over me but what would be said next would cut through my soul completely. Malco turned towards Daniel and gulped. "And Daniel… she told me to tell you that she loves you more than anything and that she's sorry for leaving you like this." Malco shut his eyes and looked down, his expression of pain and sorrow haunting me even now.

Daniel simply stared in shock and pain at the wall, cradling me carefully. "_Daniel…_" I whispered, unable to see all of them like this. The pain this cause him, all because of me… How could they even still stand to be near me after everything that has happened? Daniel looked down at my pale face and couldn't utter a word. He looked at my parted lips and dangling head on his arm and first, his eyes became pained then his entire face.

"Jamie…" He whispered and slowly bent his lips to mine, kissing me sadly and passionately. Even I could feel it on my misty lips. Our connection was still alive… slightly. My misty fingers went to my tingling lips as my mate hoped that I would come back to life. The connection felt rather quite small at this moment in time, maybe it was because I really _was_ fading away. Tears were now leaking down Daniel's face as our kiss slowly finished and he placed his forehead against my pale one. "Jamie… Please come back… Don't leave me… I'm begging you, please come back… I love you, you stupid carefree witch… I need you…"

Daniel kept on begging me to come back. But nothing happened. My soul didn't come back to my lifeless form and my eyes didn't open. Nothing changed. Suddenly, the door opened again and professor McGonagall walked in. Had she left? She walked over to Professor Dumbledore and mumbled something incoherent. It might be incoherent because of all the crying and sobbing in the room. The Headmaster nodded and took a step towards the crowd.

"I must ask everyone to leave. We need to prepare everything for Voldemort's attack and you all need to be on guard. Dawn is approaching," Dumbledore answered sadly. Daniel slowly looked up and tears were still welling in his eyes. I thought that men wouldn't cry… not for anything. Especially not for me…

"I'm not leaving her…" Daniel practically whispered, holding my lifeless body closer to his chest and making my head turn into his arm, hiding my face from everyone.

Dumbledore kneeled in front of Daniel and placed his hand on my mate's shoulder. "I know it's hard but there's a big battle ahead of us. And we need all of the students safe, including you," Dumbledore responded, looking my mate in the eyes. Daniel looked down at the lifeless body in his arms and looked back at Dumbledore. My mate didn't like the fact that he had to leave me. You could easily see it in his eyes. Nodding, Daniel lowered my body down on the floor slowly and gently, stood up and walked out of the office robotically and emotionlessly. Hermione and the others followed him sadly, looking back at my body before leaving the room. Aunt Tonks and Uncle Lupin stood up and looked at my body once before looking at Dumbledore with a stern expression.

"We'll help the professors guard the school," Uncle Lupin said before exiting the room with a speechless Tonks. My aunt looked back at my body and stood completely still, looking at me. Sadly, she closed her eyes and walked out of Dumbledore's office without another word.

Dumbledore sighed and turned towards… me? My misty form? "Miss Karsson, you can show yourself now. No sense in hiding anymore when I've already seen you," He said, shocking me completely. So he _had_ seen me. The moment the thought slipped my mind, he had seen me. So… if I slipped the thought that I wanted to be seen, would it work again? Let's try it. _I wish to be seen_, I thought and suddenly, the Headmaster's expression seemed to change. "So it's true. Your soul _has_ left your body."

"_You knew_?"

"In the beginning, I wasn't entirely certain. It seemed as though there was still some part of you that lingered on in this room. And when I saw a flicker of you when Malco brought you here, at first I thought it was simply a trick of my old eyes. But now I know that it wasn't. But the others seem to be unaware of your presence," Dumbledore explained.

"_They're grieving for a monster. Someone they barely know,_" I replied.

"Jamie, you were an important part of their lives. And seeing you like this is a large blow to them," Dumbledore said, taking a few steps towards my misty form. "But I must ask: why did you do it? Why not speak of this with me or a professor? This could have been avoided."

"_He told me that if I didn't meet him, Aunt Tonks would die. Do you really think that I would have pushed that aside and told you before meeting him? You know me better than that…_" Dumbledore sighed and my voice softened. "_I wanted to protect everyone. I thought that it would make a difference if I would try and kill him. But it didn't. It only made him stronger._"

"What do you mean?" Dumbledore asked curiously.

"_Taking my curse made him stronger. An aura seemed to be surging around after he took my life. Either that was from him gloating that I was finally dead or from the curse, I have no idea but all I know is that it's going to be harder to kill him,_" I answered, my voice still transparent and empty. Dumbledore looked down and sighed. "_Unless I kill him myself._"

Dumbledore looked up sharply and seemed shocked. "Jamie, no. I will not allow it."

"_Professor, it's the only way. This is why my soul is still lingering here. This is my unfinished business. It's the only reason why I'm still here, talking to you. There's no other way…_" I said and he still didn't sound convinced. "_Professor, I've made this mistake. Let me fix it. I don't want others to die at dawn because of what I did._"

Dumbledore looked at me sternly and shook his head in defeat. "It seems as though your mind is set." Nodding, he continued with a sigh. "Alright, but how do you plan on killing him?"

"_I haven't figured out this whole 'soul' thing but it seems as though my soul came with a few… abilities. Haven't figured them all out yet but he won't live to see the sun rise. I can assure you that._" I answered determinedly.

"Are you certain?" He asked worriedly.

Looking out, light had started to rise out in the sky. Dawn was approaching at a very quick pace. Voldemort would be here soon. "_Gather my body and the rest of the teachers. We have a evil presence to dispose of._"

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**Bellacullenswan17**

10


	25. The final battle

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**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter.**

Chapter 25

The final battle

This was it. The moment of truth. This moment will decide if I save hundreds of people or risk all of their lives...

Once the light of the sun started shining upon the castle, Dumbledore apparated for a moment and the next, he was back with Hagrid. "What happened Sir?" Hagrid asked, taking a few steps towards my dead body on the ground. Its skin must be quite cold at the moment. It has been many hours that Voldemort took my life away and my body heat was evaporating slowly.

"Voldemort took her curse and her life a few hours ago. Now he will be attacking the school at dawn," Dumbledore explained, looking up to gaze into Hagrid's eyes.

"What do ya want me to do?" Hagrid asked, determined as usual.

"We don't have much time left. I believe that if we carry Jamie's body to the battle ground, maybe there will be some miracle that will save us..."

"And if it doesn't?"

"Then we are all doomed. I've received information that Voldemort has gained more power than anyone can imagine. Almost... indestructible." So Dumbledore _was_ protecting me at the moment. He didn't want anyone else figuring out about this until it was the right time. And now wasn't it. "It will be hard for us to do anything but we must at least try."

"Then let's go out and fight," Hagrid said, a slight smile spreading across his half-giant face.

Dumbledore nodded and looked at my body. "I need you to take Jamie and follow me to the Great Hall. Knowing Voldemort, he'll attack there... It's the largest room in the castle," Dumbledore said, walking towards the door. Hagrid swept my body in his arms and flinched slightly at the cold touch. But he shrugged it off and followed the Headmaster. Naturally, my soul followed my body and my misty form glided toward the Great Hall.

All the students that Hagrid passed by in the halls looked at my lifeless body in shock. Some gasped at the gruesome sight and others bowed their heads. It seemed as though they finally started caring now that I was dead. Sighing, Hagrid entered the Great Hall and a large group of professors and students were gathered in the middle of the large room.

Daniel and the others turned around and saw my lifeless body in Hagrid's arms. But the minute that Daniel saw my body, he turned around pained. A pang of guilt entered me as Daniel couldn't bear to look at my body. Hagrid was about to set my body down on the floor when Hermione spoke out and said: "No, don't Hagrid."

Looking up, Hagrid looked sad and confused at Hermione. "What is it?" He asked sadly while standing up straight, my lifeless body still dangling in his hold.

"Just... please put her on a table or something. Not on the ground," Daniel spoke up this time, not looking at Hagrid or my body. But Hagrid nodded and placed my body on the Gryffindor table, my head rolling to the side lifelessly. Hermione and the others looked at my body before they began discussing about their plan of attack. They were trying to find a weakness in Voldemort but they couldn't find one because there _were_ none. Not at the moment. With my curse at his disposal, he couldn't be killed, unless I interfered.

Suddenly, the professors arrived and they looked grim. "We received news that Professor Snape has been killed," Dumbledore said, his voice upset. "We learned that he had been a spy for both sides and was discovered some time last night at Voldemort's hands. It seems as though Voldemort is on a killing spree with this new... power of his. He'll strike soon."

"Do we even have a chance of surviving?" Harry asked, for the first time unsure of things.

"I do believe we have a chance. I believe we have someone who can help us with this battle. We just need to let the events unfold," Dumbledore explained unemotionally. Daniel unfortunately turned around and faced him angrily.

"How many other students or professors are you willing to put on the line? Jamie is _dead_ because of this! How many other people do you want to die before you're satisfied?" Daniel shouted in Dumbledore's face. It upset me to see him like this, over me. Why did I have to hurt him so much? He didn't deserve any of this…

Suddenly, Draco Malfoy entered the room, anger on his face. He must have heard the news about Snape. Fortunately, at least _someone_ was upset about his death. When he came in, his anger suddenly died down when he saw my body. "Who got rid of Karsson?" Malco asked but it made Daniel blow off the roof.

Daniel lunged at Draco and made him fall to the ground, Daniel on top of him. And, out of surprise, Daniel began punching the bloody hell out of Malfoy. Obviously, my mate was extremely angry. "Don't you dare say anything about her!" Daniel shouted, still punching Malfoy. Everyone seemed shocked but the students didn't try to remove my mate from on top of Malfoy. On the other hand, Professor McGonagall pulled Daniel off and tried to hold him as much as possible.

"Mr. Stromb, calm down," McGonagall said as Daniel struggled in her grasp.

"You bloody Gryffindor! How dare you do this to me because of that filthy orphan!" Malfoy said, standing up with a bloody face.

Daniel struggled even more. "She died protecting all of us, including you, you piece of filth! She died at Voldemort's hands because she thought she could stop him! And you dare to talk trash about her when she's lying there, dead? You have some nerve Malfoy…" Daniel exclaimed.

Suddenly, Malfoy's face blanched in horror. He hadn't been expecting that. Draco didn't utter another word and it made Daniel calm down enough for Professor McGonagall to let him go. Malfoy and Daniel stared at each other before a black aura seemed to surround the Great Hall. Everyone looked around the room, some afraid and others simply confused. But I knew what was about to come.

Voldemort.

"Everyone, get ready," Dumbledore instructed as the black aura formed into black smoke. A Death Eater was apparating in the Great Hall. No… it was a much stronger force than that. Someone who had just gained a lot of power. The smoke became a figure with a white serpentine face. Voldemort was here.

Once the smoke cleared, Voldemort's true figure appeared, grinning like a mad man. He was enjoying this power… the feeling of never being able to die like the others, from a simple curse.

"Voldemort," Dumbledore mentioned, taking a step towards the villain. "Come for your grand finale?"

Voldemort extended his arms and began to laugh. "You think you have a chance of stopping me? I'm all powerful now, thanks to this lovely little woman right here." Voldemort suddenly raised his wand and my lifeless body was raised in the air, flying quickly towards Voldemort. Everyone gasped and tried to curse him but he waved them away as if they were pesky flies. The black aura was still around him, showing his power. Daniel was fuming with rage as my body was still in the air, making Voldemort laugh as my head was close to his.

"Let her go!" Daniel and Hermione screamed at the exact same moment. Seeing as I was still a misty form that no one could see, I walked forward towards Voldemort, at least five feet away from the others.

"I do have to thank this girl. She was quite the handful in the beginning but now," Voldemort traced his snaky fingers along my lifeless jaw and smiled as the dried blood on my neck entered his fingernails, "she's just worthless." Voldemort waved his wand and my body lifelessly fell to the ground, lying there by his feet.

"You bastard…" Daniel cursed as Voldemort placed his dirty foot on my lifeless head but smiled evilly at Daniel.

Voldemort pointed his white wand towards Daniel and said: "I believe I will start with you. Then I will move onto Harry's pathetic little friends, then your headmaster and finally Harry before killing everyone in this castle." As he spoke, he pointed to each individual he meant to kill.

And, in a moment, he began evoking the killing curse, making my mind go into overdrive. This was it, the moment that would complete my unfinished business and save everyone here. _Let my voice be heard,_ was my thought as I said: "_Protego_!" and somehow, a barrier emerged in front of all the students and Professors. Voldemort looked shocked and lowered his wand.

"That's Jamie's voice!" Hermione exclaimed, looking around wondering where my voice came from. But Voldemort looked down at my lifeless body and must have thought that my body had spoken. He kicked my body roughly and pushed it aside slightly. Daniel tried to curse Voldemort but the barrier absorbed the spell.

"She's dead! Jameson Karsson is dead! I killed her!" Voldemort repeated as he tried to curse the students a few more times but, once again, the barrier absorbed his spells. "What is happening?" Voldemort screeched angrily. Now was the time for me to be seen.

_I wish to be seen,_ was my thought and suddenly, I could feel my misty form becoming somewhat solid. Voldemort and the others looked at me in shock.

"It's impossible…" Daniel whispered in disbelief as my misty form was visible to everyone. I didn't want to turn around and see Daniel. His eyes must show so much pain…

"You're supposed to be dead!" Voldemort shouted angrily, trying to curse me but nothing affected me. Everything just went through me. "How is this possible?"

"_This ends here Voldemort. You won't harm anyone else,_" I said and it made Voldemort madder than before. Voldemort kept shooting curses and hexes at my misty form but nothing affected me. Walking towards him, he took many steps back, afraid. How could he_ not_ be afraid of me? I was probably able to end all of this right now. But I wanted to make him suffer; make him pay for taking all of these lives away for no absolute reason. It sounded so evil of me to want revenge but… if I was going to hell because of this, so be it. At least I would go to hell for a good reason that would save millions of lives. Still advancing towards him, Voldemort backed up. It made me smile for some reason, to see him so weak when he had all of this power surrounding him. "_This is the end of the line._"

"No!" He screamed. Suddenly, I glided over to him rapidly; kicking him in the back of the knee and somehow making him fall to his knees. "How are you doing this? It's impossible!" He tried to lift himself up but I placed a hand on his shoulder, keeping him on the ground.

"_You have something that doesn't belong to you, making you stronger. Did you know that too much power can send one to insanity? I do believe you have reached that stage. You've caused a lot of damage in your existence Voldemort and now it's going to end,_" I said, entering a misty hand in the back of his neck, right where my old scar is. He gasped in pain as I closed my eyes and felt around for his lifeline. Apparently, the monster had more than one. But it wouldn't be a problem. Somehow, I could visualize all of his lifelines in my mind: a serpent, a pendant, an odd looking ring, a locket, what appeared to be a goblet with the Hufflepuff sign on it, a diadem, and…

Harry. Then Voldemort's life.

I'd have to kill Harry to be able to kill Voldemort. This wasn't right… But, it must be the only way to save everyone. There must be some way that I can save Harry afterwards, like giving him my life… or some of it. Besides, I'm going to hell. What does it matter?

"What are you doing to me?" Voldemort exclaimed angrily as my hand was still in him.

"_I can picture your lifelines. Frankly, they're quite exquisite. But they have to be destroyed in order for you to die. I'm sorry but you've caused too much damage to live,_" I said while fisting my hand around his first lifeline, the serpent. Just as my hand fisted, the image of the snake burned itself out of my mind and there were only five remaining. I heard Voldemort gasp in pain but it just pushed me to accomplish the task. Never did I want to end someone's life but… this had to be done. "_One down, six more to go..._" Breaking his four more lifelines didn't take any effort. Voldemort gasped in pain every time I broke through his life. It might be cruel to end his life like this but it was the only way to save everyone, to save many other lives besides these students and faculty members.

The last lifeline I had to take was Harry's. Looking towards the others, they all looked so afraid… of me. Hermione was holding onto Harry for dear life, unable to look away from the scene. It would be hard to take his life away at the moment. But I would give it back to him. I promise. "_I'm sorry,_" I whispered to Harry before fisting my hand around Voldemort's lifeline. Harry fell to the floor lifelessly as Hermione screamed his name and placed her hands on his chest, trying to wake him up.

And now there's only Voldemort's life to take. Everyone had an orb of life of their own in their body, even if they did split it up so many times just as Voldemort did. His was extremely tiny, almost unrecognizable. But it was there. And it would be gone very soon. "_Any last words?_" I asked as my hand hovered above the tiny orb of life that was left in Voldemort.

"Please…" He whispered painfully. Who knew Voldemort could feel pain? I certainly didn't. "Don't… Have mercy…"

"_Why should I? You never gave mercy to anyone you've killed. You've enjoyed the pleasure of killing others. No, you won't hurt anyone else. It has to end. Say goodbye,_" I said before fisting my hand around the small orb. The minute my hand grabbed the orb and crushed it, Voldemort fell lifelessly to the ground, face first.

The danger was over. He was dead. Everything was over.

Looking at everyone, Harry was still lying on the floor lifeless. Dumbledore tried to wake him up along with Hermione and Ron but nothing worked. Daniel, Aunt Tonks and the rest of the students and faculty looked at me, some horrified and some were just startled. Daniel, on the other hand, was bewildered by my appearance. Taking a step towards him, everyone seemed to turn their heads towards me. Hermione had tears leaking down her face.

"Don't take another step towards him," Hermione threatened, her voice cracking with each word. It hurt to see them so scared of me. Sure, I'd just killed the Lord of all evil but wouldn't everyone be happy about that? But it had cost Harry's life in the process.

"_Hermione, I can help him. Please,_" I pleaded; my voice soft. Daniel looked from me to Hermione and seemed to understand the meaning of my words.

"No." Daniel's voice was firm and serious. He knew that I was going to trade my life for Harry's, or a part of it. "No, you're not giving your life for Harry's."

"_Only part of it Daniel. At least he can live. I'm already dead. I will fade very quickly,_" I explained, my voice still soft.

"I won't let you do this, even if it is part of you. I won't lose you!" Daniel said, walking up to me. Although he couldn't touch me, he was very close to me. "I can't lose you…"

"_You already have. My body is there, it's lifeless. After I save Harry, I'll be gone forever. There's nothing that can be done,_" I explained, looking up at him. He didn't want to believe me. Why was I so special to him? He loved me but he needed to learn to let me go, especially after I've hurt him so much since he's known me.

"Just give us a little bit of time. We'll figure something—"

"_There isn't any time for me. I'm done. This is my unfinished business._" Looking to the side, I saw that Ginny cradling my body on the floor. Someone hadn't abandoned me. Dumbledore stood up and looked at me. "_I need to do this Daniel. It's the only way._"

"Please Jamie, I love you. Don't do this," He pleaded. I was about to respond but he brought his lips close to my misty ones. But it still held love and passion. It was as if I could feel his lips against mine, even in this misty form of mine. His kiss was passionate, real. But as the kiss was happening, my misty was fading slowly. I could feel it. Daniel felt it as well. He separated the kiss and looked me in the eyes. "No…"

"_I need to act quickly if I'm going to save Harry's life,_" I said and Daniel just seemed lost as my misty form became transparent slowly. Gliding past Daniel, I made my way over to Harry. Hermione looked at me and removed her hands from on top of Harry, letting me act. "_I'm sorry for everything. I hope you can forgive me,_" I said to Harry and Hermione before placing my left hand upon Harry's chest. Closing my eyes, a tingling sensation went through my misty form and my soul seemed to have left my misty form. It was going into Harry.

As my soul left, Harry's eyes began to open slowly. Before my soul completely disappeared, I removed my hand from his chest and looked at everyone.

This was it, my time to die. To go to hell for my actions.

Looking at Daniel, I felt tiny particles of myself float away into the sky, almost absorbed in the sky of the Great Hall. My eyes never left Daniel's as I floated away. My last words to him were: _I love you._

"JAMIE!" Daniel screamed but I felt nothing. Just saw a large white light.

What I saw next was amazing. It was all so beautiful; the clouds, the light, everything. It was as if my soul was on clouds. Was I in heaven? My mind was floating, as was my body. I felt at peace for the first time in a long time. No more pain or suffering, just happiness and nothing. Suddenly, a voice popped in my mind.

_This is not your time._

And in that moment, my soul was propelled downward towards Hogwarts, towards my body in Ginny's arms. A gasp of pain escaped my lips as the pain in my stomach consumed me. I was weak. There was no doubting that but… I was alive? They'd given me a second chance? My eyes opened slightly but remained half open as my strength seeped. "She's alive!" Ginny screamed and everyone rushed towards me. Daniel picked me up in his arms and Dumbledore placed his hand on Daniel's shoulder. In a moment, we apparated to the hospital wing with Madam Pomfrey.

"Stay with me now Jamie. You can do it. Just stay with me," Daniel whispered as they lowered me onto the bed. Aunt Tonks apparated in the room shortly after, rushing right beside Daniel as Madam Pomfrey worked on my body. They would save me in time. I would be alright.

I would live once again.

**Review please.**

**Bellacullenswan17**

10


	26. Recovering

**Read and review.**

**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry potter. **

Chapter 26

Recovering

Everything around me seemed to hurt. But that seemed to be a good sign. It means that my body was functioning properly, that I was alive. My eyes didn't open but my mind did. My hearing picked up two different voices, a male and a female.

"You should go to class. We wouldn't want you to miss anything," The female said softly. It reminded me of someone… Aunt Tonks. That was it. She seemed to have taken hold of my two hands, one person on either side of me, Aunt Tonks and someone else. The male probably held my right hand.

"No, I'm not leaving her," The male said. That was Daniel; I would recognize that voice anywhere. He was by my side, holding my hand and rubbing it softly with his thumb. At the moment, I didn't want to open my eyes. It would ruin the moment.

"She's sleeping. The danger's over. Nothing's going to happen to her," Aunt Tonks replied, placing a hand on my cheek delicately as to not wake me. What she didn't know was that I was already awake.

"I'm not leaving her," Daniel replied firmly. He was overprotective of me at the moment. He thought that I would die again but Death wasn't after me now. Everything was safe. "Not now, not ever."

"You really care about my niece, don't you?"

"More than you can possibly imagine," Daniel said, love and passion filling his every words. It made my heart sore to hear how he loved me so much. I hadn't felt that way in so long… it felt right. "I love her with all my heart and I will do whatever it takes to keep her with me, keep her alive and happy."

Aunt Tonks took a silent pause before saying: "I agree."

"Pardon?" Daniel asked confused.

"I agree of your relationship with my niece. You really care for her, which is something she hasn't felt in a long time. The last time I saw her, she told me everything about you and her words only expressed love. It reminds me of Remus and I..." There was a small pause before Aunt Tonks continued speaking. "She really does love you. And I see how you make her happy. But if you hurt her, you will have me to deal with Daniel," Aunt Tonks replied, seriousness covering her voice in the end. Suddenly, my right hand went rigid for some reason. My mind registered somehow that Daniel must have become scared.

"I would never hurt her. And I'll try with all my might to keep her out of harm's way. I promise," Daniel said and how desperately did I want to smile at the moment. He was truly the only one for me. His words were covered with love and passion that it warmed my heart.

"You better," Aunt Tonks warned. Now seemed like the time to wake up. I groaned, hoping it was convincing enough for the two of them, and began opening my eyes slowly, stopping their conversation in an instant. At first, everything seemed quite blurry. My eyes only opened a mere crack but it was enough to see Aunt Tonks and Daniel's blurry forms. Even blurry, Daniel still dazzled me. "Oh honey, I'm so glad you're awake."

"Hello to you too…" I replied, hoping to ease the tension right now. A small smile played on my lips as Daniel stroked my hand with his thumb.

Aunt Tonks gently ran up to me and gave me a soft and careful hug. "You are so grounded missy. Never will you put me through that again, do you hear me young lady? You have no idea how much you scared me." She warned, unable to actually be fully serious and angry at the moment. My arms slowly went around her and hugged her back with as much strength as I could muster at this moment.

"Wait… what am I grounded for…?" I asked as we slowly released one another. Looking at her, her eyes seem to have turned glassy as she seems to be on the verge of crying.

"For going against him by yourself! Didn't you think that it would have been better if you had told someone?" Aunt Tonks said, her tone become sad towards the end.

Looking down, I began to fiddle with my blanket, unable to look at both of them. Daniel was silent but his gestures meant a thousand words. But could I tell Aunt Tonks what really happened? I had only told Professor Dumbledore but she was the one that mattered most, and Daniel of course. Internally sighing, the only reply that came out of my mouth was: "He said he was going to kill you if I didn't meet him Aunt Tonks… He said he would kill you if I didn't meet him alone… I… I couldn't let that happen…" The room seemed to have gone quiet when I finished speaking. Looking up, both of them seemed shocked.

Soon, Aunt Tonks's stunned expression turned into sadness again and she wrapped her arms around me again, rubbing my shoulder comfortingly and softly. "Everything's alright now. No one is going to hurt or use you anymore," She promised before kissing my forehead and smiling at me.

"Does this mean I'm ungrounded…?" I asked, a hint of humour to my tone and she laughed half-heartedly.

"Of course honey. After all, you did save everyone in the magical community. I can't really ground a hero now, can I?" She asked, taking a seat back next to me. But her words… they hit me harder than anything. A hero…? I was no such thing. Voldemort might be dead and cannot return but Harry had to be sacrificed—then brought back to life—for the plan to succeed. Aunt Tonks must have seen my face and became sad. "What's wrong honey?" She asked soothingly.

"I'm no hero…" was my only reply while looking down again.

"How can you say that?" Daniel asked me stunned, speaking for the first time in this conversation.

"I had to sacrifice Harry for Voldemort to be killed."

"But you brought him back."

"But what if it hadn't worked? What if I had failed in bringing Harry back to life? Then there would be two dead people right now!" I answered sadly, looking up at them.

Daniel placed his hand on my cheek reassuringly and looked me straight in the eyes. "You did everything right Jamie. No one is blaming you for anything. Actually, you've been getting gifts while you were asleep," Daniel mentioned while turning my head slightly to the side and showing me the hundreds of white roses on three nightstands. A look of shock passed through my features while looking at the white roses.

"Those… are all for me…?" I asked incredulously, looking back at Daniel.

"It was the least that they could do. Everyone came to pay their thanks to you for saving their lives," Daniel explained with a slight smile to his lips. A slight smile was brought to my lips and we both stared at each other.

Aunt Tonks cleared her throat and Daniel and I looked at her. "I suppose I should leave you two alone. Get some rest Jamie and I will visit you as soon as I can get off work," She said with a smile, getting up slowly.

"You don't have to strain yourself Aunt Tonks… I'm fine…" I said honestly.

"But I want to Jamie. I'll see you soon honey. Get some rest," Aunt Tonks said before apparating from the room, leaving Daniel and I alone in the hospital wing.

Looking at Daniel, I tried to shift into a sitting position but a large pain in my stomach erupted in horrible pain. A gasp of pain escaped my lips and Daniel instantly started panicking in worry. "Jamie, everything's fine. Just lay back down," He said while pushing me ever so softly back against the bed and helped me sit up. In the end, I was panting for breath and my hand hovered above my wound. "You can tell me if you need help. I want to help you Jamie," He said, cupping a hand on my cheek. Leaning into his touch, I closed my eyes and loved having him close to me. He brought himself close to me and placed his forehead against mine. "You scared me Jamie. I thought that I had lost you forever… I can't afford to lose you."

"I'm so sorry Daniel… I thought that he had her…" Looking into his eyes, Daniel didn't seem to be mad at me but at Voldemort, the one who took away my life.

"I… I just wished that you would have told me. I would have been able to help you, whatever means necessary," He said with love, passion and seriousness clouding his words. It warmed my heart again to hear how much he wanted to help me. "Maybe it would have helped if I was there… Maybe I—" But I didn't give him time to protest. Against all the pain in my body, I brought myself closer to him, hiding the pain in my features, my lips came upon his.

The kiss took him by surprise but it didn't take long for Daniel to return his love. It was beautiful; the way his lips connected with mine, the feel of his hand resting upon my neck and just having him next to me, kissing me. But the pain kept coming back stronger than ever. My face—including my lips—scrunched up in pain and Daniel stopped kissing me, making me sigh in pain.

"Bloody hell… I can't even kiss you now…" I mumbled sadly.

"What's wrong? Is your wound hurting? Maybe you should lie back down Jamie," He said worriedly while looking at me. Looking down, my hand hovered above the wound and panted heavily, sweat running down my face now.

"I'm fine… It… It'll pass…" I said in between pants. Breathing was becoming a problem right now. The wound was making it hard for me to breathe, considering that Voldemort had stabbed me in the stomach. Daniel didn't buy it and pushed me softly against the pillows, despite what I had just told him. "Daniel… I'm fine…"

"Jamie, just please listen to me. I don't want you to hurt yourself any more than you already are. You're too important to me," Daniel said, coming up to sit beside me on the bed and placing his hand on my cheek again. "Please tell me when you're hurting. I can't bear to lose you again… It was painful enough to feel it once." Those words hurt my heart this time. I'd hurt him beyond belief this time. Now he was afraid that I would disappear into thin air.

"I'm not going anywhere Daniel… I promise you that…" I said while placing a hand on his cheek as well. He smiled before planting a small but passionate kiss upon my lips. Turning my head around, I saw the white roses again. "Are those really from everyone in the school…?"

Daniel looked at the flowers before looking back at me with a sad face. "Um…" His tone seemed to have changed recently, almost saddened. But in the matter how he said it, it was easy to know who didn't place a flower.

"They didn't come and see me… did they…?" I asked sadly, looking him in the eyes. Daniel didn't quaver but he looked saddened by my own tone. Harry and the others must still be mad at me for before… No wonder they didn't want to see me. I had been horrible to them before I died and Harry had been sacrificed to kill Voldemort. They probably never wanted to see me again.

"Actually, they did. The minute they heard you were on the road to recovery but three out of the four Houses didn't visit you. Some are extremely mad that Voldemort is dead. Hermione, Luna and Ginny are the ones that visited you the most in the four days that you've been here," Daniel explained and it got me thinking. It must have been the Slytherin house that didn't visit me. It really didn't matter though. Hermione and the others had come to see me? But wait a second, _four days_? How badly was I injured?

"Four days…? I've been here nearly a week…?"

"You were badly injured Jamie. You'd lost so much blood that they wanted to make sure you're alright. You seemed to have woken up for a few seconds the same day you were admitted but they sedated you so your wound would heal faster."

"They sedated me…?"

"Better be safe than sorry Jamie. No one wants you to get hurt. They don't want their saviour to get sick or anything," Daniel said with a smile at the end. Rolling my eyes at him, I tried to lean into him without any pain but that was a failure. Daniel saw my pain and positioned himself behind me, helping me lean into him without any pain this time. Oh, how I loved this man. He would do anything for me… It made my heart sore once again. "Is the pain gone?" He asked, wrapping his arms around my chest happily. Nodding, I looked in front of me and saw that there was a large vase filled with white roses. There were so many of them… But suddenly, Aunt Tonks and Daniel's conversation popped into my mind. Should I bring it up or no? Was this the right time? Maybe it would be better to wait until Madam Pomfrey would let me leave the hospital wing. "You were awake when your aunt and I were talking, weren't you?"

My eyes widened at his question. How…? What…? Looking up at him, there seemed to be a small smile forming on his face. "How did you know…?"

"Your lips twitched up slightly when I said that I would never hurt you and promised that I would try with all my might to keep you out of harm's way," Daniel said and a wonderful smile formed on his lips. It made my heart skip a beat once again when seeing that gorgeous smile of his. His light brown hair fell close to his eyes, indicating that he needed a haircut. There were dark bags under his eyes, showing that he lacked sleep. He must have not had any sleep since I was admitted in the hospital wing… Poor guy, he really needs to get some rest.

"Daniel… you need to get some sleep…" I said, making his smile disappear when he heard my serious tone.

"I'm fine Jamie… Seeing you awake and alright is keeping me plenty awake," Daniel said with a slight smile before planting a kiss upon my forehead.

"But I'm alright… you should go back to your dorm and get some rest… Madam Pomfrey might discharge me soon…" I said with a slight smile. Daniel hesitated but nodded in the end.

"Alright but if I'm going to go and get some rest, you should too. Your eyes are drooping now," Daniel commented while running his thumb on the bags under my eyes. His touch was soft and gentle as he soothingly caressed my cheek and rubbed my cheek with his thumb.

"But I've been sleeping for four days…" I whined and teased at the same time.

"You need to rest Jamie. You've been through a lot lately and sleep will do you some good. I just want you to get better. Please Jamie, for me," Daniel pleaded while looking pleadingly into my eyes, almost giving me a puppy dog eyed look. He was just so adorable that it made me sigh and nod. A large smile played on his face as he kissed my lips and laid his forehead against mine. "Thank you Jamie."

"I'd do anything for you…" I answered honestly while leaning against his chest, the pain barely there.

We sat like this for quite some time until Madam Pomfrey came in and said that Daniel should go to the Gryffindor Common Room. Frankly, neither Daniel nor I wanted to move but he was forced. Madam Pomfrey insisted I catch on my rest and that she could release me in the next few hours if I took some medications for the pain. It brought joy to my face to know that my stay in the hospital wing was coming to an end. Laying my head against the pillows, sleep overtook me.

In just a few hours, things would be back to normal… hopefully.

**Review please.**

**Bellacullenswan17**

9


	27. The beginning of the beginning

**Read and review.**

**Disclaimer = I don't own Harry Potter.**

Chapter 27

The beginning of the beginning

The next day, Malco had decided to visit me, apologizing about the fact that he couldn't see me yesterday. All in all, I never blamed him, only gave him a rather large embrace and was grateful for everything he did for me. I didn't tell anyone about what happened after I died. It wasn't the right time to tell them. Would it ever be? Would I be able to one day tell them about this… ghost I became?

Probably not. No one would believe me anyways.

Madam Pomfrey had seen me just a few short hours ago about my medication. She had informed me that it had to be taken before every meal and before going to bed, plus the Ace bandages had to be changed every two days. The old nurse had been worried about my leaving the hospital wing so soon but I had soothed her worries. Frankly, it was a challenge. Madam Pomfrey worried about my health and it seemed as though she would rather keep me here than to face the other students.

"I can handle them," was what I had told her. But even with that statement, it took a lot of effort to get her to let me leave.

In the end, she had helped me get dressed casually and helped me walk out of the hospital wing, even though that last part was unnecessary. "Have a good time at the feast Jamie," Madam Pomfrey said before closing the hospital wing doors. That was, in fact, the argument that had won my freedom. Today was the end of the year feast. They were going to award the House Cup to a certain House that seemed deserving of the award.

In all honesty, I hoped that Gryffindor would win. The other students had worked hard in respecting the rules, succeeding in their work in class, etc…

But… they might now win because of my stupid stunt… Of course Voldemort was dead and gone now but I had gone against everyone and hid my plan from the people who mattered most to me that it cost Harry his life. He might be back to life because of me—and now; I must say that saving him has taken a toll on my strength these days—but he had still died.

If we did lose tonight because of me, I hoped that everyone would forgive me, even though that seemed like quite a long shot right now.

When walking towards the Gryffindor Common Room, it felt right. The familiar feel of the solid marble underneath my feet was exuberating. The familiar paintings bowing their heads when I passed made my heart soar. Of course, some paintings began to fight when one had said that I should have stayed dead but it seemed pointless to care about such a thing right now.

During my stay in the hospital wing, I had considered the ups and downs of me staying dead and following my dead real and foster parents up to either heaven or hell. My mind wandered around the idea of how life would have been if my soul had followed my parents. But, in the end, the thought of my family, ex-friends and Daniel weeping over my dead body made me forget about death for the time being.

I would stay alive for them and only them.

Walking up the moving staircases slowly and arriving in front of the painting of the fat lady, she saw me and seemed to beam with joy. Well, that was a first… Looking at her confused, I invoked the password and her next words shocked me.

"Welcome back, hero."

I walked robotically in the Common Room. Once again with the hero comment… Why was everyone calling me a hero these days? Why would they call me that? Just because I killed Voldemort doesn't make me a hero. Killing someone as I did should make me a murderer. Shaking my head, a familiar white with black stripes cat sat on the couch, looking up at me with a slight smile. Malco, my guardian.

"They let you out earlier than I thought," He said when I came to sit next to him. A certain glimmer in his eyes showed eagerness, probably because he wanted to lie on my lap as he used to before. Smiling, I patted my thighs slightly and he flashed a smile before lying lightly on my lap. It didn't even hurt. He was just so light that there was barely any pain. Running my fingers along his head, he purred and leaned into my touch. It made me smile to see him like this. It was just like old times… "I missed you Jamie…" He whispered happily.

"I missed you too Malco, more than you could possibly imagine…" I whispered back, running my whole palm against his fur.

"You really scared me back there. Just seeing you there, so…" He couldn't finish. The memory must be too painful for him. His face saddened when thinking about the past that it made me frown as well.

"Hey, it's alright… I'm here now. You don't have to think about that ever again because I'm staying," I responded with a soft voice. My heart couldn't help but clench when seeing his face. There was so much pain in his face… "I'm not going to leave you."

Malco looked up at me and leaned into my stomach, causing me slight pain but I hid it. Instead of showing my pain, my arms wrapped around his small body and my embrace seemed to have lifted his spirits. "It feels good to have you here Jamie. It wasn't the same without you," Malco said, which made me smile slightly.

"I'm glad to be back. Maybe I should get changed out of these clothes…" Looking down at my clothes, I noticed they were the same clothes I had died in. The bloodstains were still flagrant, even though they seemed to have been washed.

Malco looked at me and his expression changed once again. Nodding, he got off my lap and with the little strength in my body, I tried to lift myself off of the couch but pain came at me again. Closing my eyes and wincing, a hand hovered above my wound. Malco's eyes became worried and he leaped off the couch. In a moment, he transformed into his large feline form. He came up to me and placed his head behind my back, helping me stand up. Placing an arm around my guardian, he led me up the stairs with ease.

"Thanks Malco…" I said with a slight smile as we arrived at the top of the staircase.

Malco looked at me and nodded. He walked beside me and when entering the empty Girls' Dormitory, my bed lay at the far end of the corridor. It was untouched and well made, just like it was before that horrible event with Voldemort. Right beside the bed was my dresser. Walking over to the bed slowly, Malco followed behind me slowly, making sure I don't hurt myself.

Running my hand across the smooth covers of the bed, a smile spread across my face. Wow… I was smiling because of a _bed_. But it still made my heart fill with warmth.

"It's good to be home…" I whispered mainly to myself. Looking on the bed, I found my wand, lying there at the end of the red comfy bed. Taking it in my hand, it felt smooth and perfect. "Where did you find my wand?"

"It was lying on the ground where I… found you…" Malco said, sitting down in front of the bed. Without saying another word, I nodded and walked over to the dresser. Going to the bathroom and changing clothes was simple for now. It didn't cause my wound so much pain as before. But the minute that I had to put the new shirt above my head, my wound began to burn horribly. "You alright Jamie?" Malco asked from the other side of the door.

"I'm fine…" I lied, putting my shirt on painfully. Hissing in pain, I walked out and met Malco.

He was frowning. "It's hurting again, isn't it?" He asked sadly.

My expression fell and the pain in my stomach seemed to be meaningless right now. "It'll go away Malco… It's just pain… I'm not going to fade away anytime soon…" Smiling against the pain, my hand went towards his head and began to pet him softly. He leant into the touch and purred softly. It made me smile once again to feel him so close to me. It reminded me of the good old days before this all started. Looking over at my watch, I realized that it was nearly time for the feast. But my rate, the feast would have already begun. Lovely...

"I really don't want to lose you Jamie," Malco said, snapping me out of my reverie. Looking down at my pet, he had his eyes closed, still leaning against my touch. All I wanted to do right now was hug my Guardian into a bone crushing embrace. So, against the pain, I began to descend to sit on my knees. Malco saw my movements and opened his eyes immediately and filled them with worry. "Hey, Jamie. What are you doing?" He asked worriedly. Kneeling down in front of him, I hid the unbearable pain and hugged him fiercely. He seemed shocked at first but placed his chin upon my shoulder.

"You won't lose me Malco... I'm so sorry that I scared you back there... That wasn't my intention in the least... I promise you that I'm not going anywhere..." I spoke through the pain but the promise was still spoken. Malco tightened his hold slightly around my neck and it made a tear fall from my cheek. I had been so close to losing all of them when dying. What if they hadn't given me a second chance? Malco and the others would have still been saddened by my death. They would have beaten themselves over my death. That could never happen. "The only reason I'm living now is because of all of you..."

Malco purred again at my words and looked at me. Quick footsteps could be heard, followed by my name. It was Daniel. He was back from class, and apparently in quite the rush. Malco and I looked at one another. "Do you think you'll be able to go down the stairs?" He asked worriedly.

"I... I think so..." Trying to stand up caused me unbearable pain. When halfway to a standing positing, the pain became too much and my eyes closed instantaneously and I would have fallen down on my knees, nearly clutching my stomach with my hand, if Malco hadn't caught me with his back. "God... I'm sorry Malco..."

"Hey, don't apologize. It's alright. I'll bring us both downstairs alright? So you won't have to strain yourself." Nodding, Malco spoke the words 'Gryffindor Common Room' and suddenly, we were downstairs, in front of Daniel. My mate rushed to my side and began helping me slowly stand.

"Are you alright? What's wrong? Is the pain back?" Daniel asked, his questions just flowing out of his mouth. When standing, the pain seemed to have diminished, almost to inexistence.

"I'm fine now... Just a little pain Daniel..." I panted but Daniel still kept an arm around my waist to help me stand. We were finally together again. No troubles forcing us apart. There were no strings pulling us away from one another. We were both together, holding each other. Looking up at him, Daniel seemed to have a large smile plastered on his face. "You're smiling..."

"It's because you're here beside me, actually alive in my arms. It's a miracle that I'm unbelievably grateful for." Daniel brought his lips closer towards mine and we kissed passionately for one second, two seconds, a minute. It seemed to have lasted forever. It _would_ have lasted forever but we both separated, knowing that the feast would start soon. "We better get you downstairs. The feast is about to start," Daniel said. With a simple nod of the head, Daniel looked at Malco and they seemed to have an inward conversation.

"Have fun you two," Malco said with a slight smile.

"I'll be back soon Malco," I said softly and he seemed to beam with joy somehow. It made Malco happy to see me healthy again, or somewhat healthy. No, the better word in this sentence was _alive_. He was happy to see me alive and in front of him. Both of them were.

Malco looked up at Daniel and simply said three words. "Keep her safe." Daniel nodded and we both apparated downstairs in front of the doors to the Great Hall.

Looking at the slightly opened double doors of the Great Hall, I inwardly sighed. This was it. The moment to show my face in front of everyone. But... entering the Great Hall was something I had to do alone. To face my fears of everyone hating me for what had been done. Looking up at Daniel, he seemed to have noticed my change of features. "What's the matter?" He asked, tightening his hold around my waist slightly.

"Daniel, I need to enter alone. This is something that I need to do alone," I said and he seemed to understand perfectly. As much as he hated to admit this, this _was_ something that needed to be done alone. I hadn't seen another student's face—besides Daniel—for five days now. It was time to know exactly what they thought of me. "Thank you."

"It's quite alright but I will stay a few feet behind you, just in case something happens," Daniel said, which made me nod.

Looking back at the doors, I took a deep breath and began walking slowly and slightly shakily towards the doors. With a little help from my wand, the doors opened a little bit and I walked inside, seeing all of the students chatting loudly and laughing. But the minute my feet set foot in the Great Hall, they all turned towards me and fell silent. This was it... the moment I had been afraid of since getting out of the hospital wing a few short hours ago. Most of these students must somehow hate me. They didn't seem either happy nor mad to see me. Just... slightly shocked to see me. Walking down the hall slowly while trying not to look at them, Daniel followed behind me slowly.

Silence filled the room. Not even the teachers spoke. They just looked at me, like the rest of the students. Professor Dumbledore was the only one that looked joyful. There was an empty spot at the end of the Gryffindor table that seemed fitting. Harry and the others were looking at me the same way as the others: surprised. But there was something different about them this time. They seemed happy, even more than Professor Dumbledore.

Suddenly, there was a voice that stopped the silence and my observations. It came from my left. A certain deep voice that I did not pinpoint. "You murderer! You'll pay for what you did!" And then it sounded like a hex was being thrown my way.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Turning my head slightly to the side, I saw a Slytherin shooting a green hex my way. It came slowly and my body began to turn rigid. Dumbledore stood up and didn't seem to have enough time to react to this sudden attack. Neither did Daniel. Closing my eyes, I waited for the impact to send me either to the floor or to the wall behind me. But it never happened. Instead, a distinctive _Protego_ spell could be heard loudly across the room. It was a small and dreamy voice. The attack never came. Instead, the green jet hit the protective shield in front of a girl with blond hair, nearly white.

"Luna?" I asked surprised.

"Why, it's not nice to do that to the girl who saved the magical realm, now is it?" She asked, standing in front of me protectively, her wand out and ready to use once again.

"Why you little—"

"If you're going try and hurt Jamie, then you're going to have to go through me," Luna said in a crouch, defending me for a certain reason.

"And us," A Hufflepuff said, standing up and walking over to us. A few of her classmates stood up as well and, surprisingly, came over to stand next to me.

"And us." I heard two very similar and distinctive voices come from beside me. Turning my head, Fred and George began walking behind me and simply stood behind me, their arms crossed over their chests firmly. They… were defending me? But... why? I would have thought they would hate me…

The Slytherin boy seemed to get angered once again and gripped his wand fiercely. "Why you!" He pointed his wand towards me again and began reciting a spell but, out of nowhere, a man with bleach blond hair brought his fist upon the Slytherin's jaw, punching him strongly and knocking him over. But the angry Slytherin never stood back up. Man, that blond haired kid must have a good right hook.

"Shut the bloody hell up!" The blond haired boy exclaimed, moving his head towards me. I was finally able to see him my eyes widened.

Draco Malfoy.

What was he doing? He was… defending me? After everything that happened? Why would he do that? Nothing happened for him to be this way. Looking at Malfoy, he locked his eyes with mine and nodded once before sitting down and returning to his meal. It might have been just a nod but there was plenty of meaning behind his nod. Our relationship would be better from now on, I just knew it.

Everyone seemed to look at me and smile before they returned to their seats, all except Luna, Fred and George. They looked at me with a slight frown on their face.

"Um… thank you… all of you for what you did… I appreciate it…" I answered with a slight nod but no smile just yet. My face was a clear expressionless mask. Frankly, my heart was torn. Were they, in fact, willing to be my friends or no? Would they still resent me the way they did before I died?

"No problem mate. We'd do anything for you, hero," Fred said, a small smile forming on his face and a wink in my direction.

"Yeah, we owe you quite the thanks Jamie. Without you, we'd still be running and hiding and, possibly six feet under," George said, mimicking his twin with a smile and a wink of his own. They both didn't hate me. This was a relief. Luna began rubbing my arm soothingly with a slight smile plastered on her face. She didn't want to say anything but that didn't really bother me. Suddenly, Fred began speaking again.

"Look mate, we're—"

"Really sorry—"

"For what happened before." They finished both in unison. It was nice hear them speak as one again. It had been a while since they had done it… Luna looked over at me and smiled slightly.

"We really are sorry. It has been horrid these past few weeks. We've been ridden with guilt Jamie…" She looked at Fred and George and looked back at me. "Well, I know I have…"

"We all have," Fred and George said in unison.

"It's alright… There is nothing to forgive…" I said, still feeling weak from the wound. Maybe it was time to sit down soon. They all smiled slightly and saw my weakness.

"Come on, it's time to go and eat. You're probably starving, what with the horrible hospital food they served you," Fred said with a slight chuckle. He placed a hand behind my back gently and George mimicked him so I wouldn't fall.

Luna looked at me and rubbed my arm softly. "We'll celebrate everything after the feast. I must go now. I'll talk to you later," Luna said before walking over to the Ravenclaw table. A surge of warmth filled me and happiness seemed to take me right now as we walked towards the Gryffindor table. Most of the students smiled and said encouraging comments as we passed them. It made a small smile come to my lips and a thought ran through my head. But, even though Fred, George and Luna seemed to mean their apology, it was meant to Harry, Ron and Hermione to make me feel better. They were the first friends that I had met during my stay here and they had struck through with me until just a few weeks ago… Would they accept me? Would they even talk to me…?

Sighing internally, we walked over to the end of the table where Daniel was waiting for me. He stood up and looked over at me.

Walking over to him slowly, he placed his arms around me and hugged me softly and worriedly. "Are you alright?" He asked, brushing his lips against my skin softly.

"I'm fine… they helped me…" Looking over at the table, it seemed empty but there was a tap on my shoulder. Turning around, there stood Hermione, Harry and Ron, every one of them looking sad.

Hermione was the first to step up and look at me. "H… How do you feel?" She asked sadly.

"Better…" I said, hesitating at first before answering.

"Look mate, we're terribly sorry. We never meant to hurt you like that and there's no bloody excuse for what we did," Ron said sadly, looking at me with nearly pleading eyes.

"And… with what happened after that, we just felt horrible because we thought it was our fault," Hermione said with the same look on her face and same tone of voice. They seemed to all feel the same way about this situation.

"It's alright… I deserved it…" I responded, simply looking at them and making my face unreadable. Daniel rubbed my back soothingly during this discussion.

Harry shook his head and looked at me, his hair moving so his lightening bolt scar shining in the light of the candles floating above us. "You didn't deserve any of what we said… And I'm particularly sorry for what I said and did. I was just angry and—" It honestly felt as though they were sorry for what happened so I raised my hand and stopped him from continuing his sentence.

Putting my hand down, I looked at them and simply looked. An inner smile seemed to form in me but not on my face on the outside. "It's alright… It's the past now…"

Harry nodded solemnly and began speaking again. "And thank you for bringing me back to life. I do appreciate it," Harry said, still eyes locked with mine. He really was honest right now. There were no signs of anger or hatred in all of their voices. Just now, I noticed Ginny and Neville listening to our conversation with the same expression. They all felt horrible. Looking back at Harry and company, they still looked horribly sad. It nearly broke my heart.

"It's the least I could do... I would have easily traded my life for one of you guys..." I said and they were about to retort but something happened.

Hermione didn't wait for someone to retort. The minute we locked eyes, a tear ran down her face and she wrapped her arms around me softly, pulling me closer to her for a meaningful embrace. A slight pain formed in my stomach but I ignored it and wrapped my arms tightly around her, missing this unbearably. "I'm so glad you're alright... You have no idea how horrible I felt seeing you there..." Hermione whispered, making me close my eyes sadly. Daniel kept a reassuring hand on my back and kept soothing me as Hermione hugged me.

"I'm sorry..." I whispered back but she just kept embracing me gently.

A few seconds later, she separated from the hug and looked me in the eyes, her hands on my shoulders softly. "Just please don't do that again please. I don't think we'd be able to handle it," She said with complete honesty.

"I won't…" I said, nodding once. My stomach growled and Daniel laughed slightly and helped me sit down with slight pain. Daniel sat close to me and placed an arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him while eating. Just suddenly, Professor Dumbledore stood up and walked slowly over to the wooden pedestal, silencing all the students in the room. And then he began to speak.

"Another year has passed. It seems as though this is simply the start of the school year but, the year_ has_ ended. And, as tradition, we must award the House Cup to the deserving House. Although it seems as many things have interfered with this school year, we must uphold our school's tradition. First, I will announce the House points for each and every House." He took a pause and looked at the Hufflepuff table. "For Hufflepuff… 387 points." There were many cheers for the Hufflepuffs section and claps from the rest of the students. Dumbledore turned his head towards the Ravenclaw table. "For Ravenclaw… 403 points." Many more cheers and claps from the students, making a small headache form in my temples. Rubbing my fingers against my temples slowly, Daniel looked at me and became worried instantaneously.

"Are you alright?" He tried to say through the screaming of the students while rubbing my side.

"I will be…" I said while looking at him and smiling slightly. He locked eyes with me and kissed me lightly on the lips.

Once the screaming died down, Dumbledore began to speak again. He looked over to the Gryffindor Table and said: "For Gryffindor… 412 points." Then he looked over at the Slytherin table and finally said: "For Slytherin… 486 points." My face seemed to have fallen when hearing Dumbledore's last statement. We'd lost. Slytherin was screaming with happiness at this moment to hear that they've won. I placed my head in my hands at the cheering and Daniel rubbed my side once again. We'd probably lost because of me.

But, what surprised me was Dumbledore's next speech. He raised his hand and the screaming stopped slowly. "Although it seems as Slytherin is our winner, I have a last minute point to award. Without this certain person, our school would be in ruins and under the rule of the Dark Lord. Without her, we would not be here right now. Without her, the world of wizardry would be in chaos at the moment and there would be no more good, simply evil and darkness. And so, we have to give our thanks to Jameson Karsson, the heroin who saved Hogwarts and all of us from Voldemort, who will no longer terrorize us in our waking and sleeping moments," Dumbledore said, encouraging the students to cheer and scream. Looking up, I saw some students stand and cheer while others simply stayed in their seats and screamed in cheer. Dumbledore locked eyes with mine and a small smile appeared on his lips. Surprisingly, a smile formed on my features as well. Once the students' screams died down, he continued speaking. "And so, I believe that Gryffindor is awarded 100 points for Jamie's courageous actions and outstanding endeavour," Dumbledore said, ending his speech.

The Gryffindors cheered and screamed with happiness. The small smile was plastered on my face and didn't leave. We had actually won. Even though my actions nearly cost us the House Cup, in the end, we had _won_.

"We beat Slytherin!" Hermione screamed happily.

"Way to go Jamie!" Another Gryffindor shouted joyfully.

"We did it!" Someone screamed.

Dumbledore waited a few seconds for the cheers to die down before speaking once again. "And so, I believe that we have a new winner." Dumbledore waved his hand and red Gryffindor robes surrounded the ceiling. "Gryffindor wins the House Cup."

And so ended the feast with roars of wonderful screaming and smiles… All the students cheered, ate and smiled in happiness. Hermione and the others had come up to me and embraced me tightly, even though tremendous pain surrounded me. They cheered for me and congratulated me for winning the House Cup and said that there was going to be a party at the end of the feast. Somehow, this made my mood sore to new heights. Every fear I have had for the past few days seemed to be insignificant now. They had all forgiven me. Daniel was going to be by my side for a while now and things were back to normal.

The feast had seemed to pass in a blur. I was just so happy right now. Nothing could bring me down. The Gryffindors had gone back to the Common Room and we began to drink Butterbeer and dancing along to the music. Of course, for me, it was simply standing shakily and drinking a little bit. There was a banner with the words '_Congratulations Jamie!_' written and there were streamers and Butterbeer surrounding the room. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, even me. Daniel had his arm wrapped around me in case I fell or passed out from weakness—at this rate, my wound was slightly hurting and it was hard to stay conscious.

Luna wasn't able to attend the party on account to the fact that the party is head in the Gryffindor Common Room but she wished all the happiness in the party and she would celebrate with me tomorrow. It made me smile to believe that everyone seemed to have forgotten about the past.

Suddenly, as the party began to dance happily to the songs on my iPod, the song changed and the song '_Mine_' by Taylor Swift began to play. It was one of my favourite songs at the moment. It explained a little about my life as well. Daniel looked at me and smiled. "Would you like to dance Jamie?" He asked, entwining my fingers through his. With a smile of my own, I nodded and he brought me slowly onto the dance floor. Although this song was upbeat, we slow danced and held each other close.

"I can't believe I'm dancing with the heroin of the decade," Daniel said, his chin resting upon my head.

A small smile formed on my lips as my eyes closed while leaning against his chest. "Don't get too cocky there Daniel…" It felt good to rest my eyes slightly. "I'm so happy you're mine Daniel… I couldn't ask for anything better in my life than you…"

"I'm always going to be here Jamie. This is the beginning of the end," He said while kissing my hair softly.

Shaking my head, I smiled and looked up into his eyes. "No Daniel… This is the beginning of the beginning…" And we brought our lips together, kissing passionately and sealing our fates together.

**Alright so this is the end of the story. I have to thank flofle for using my story as a topic for her college paper and bloolagoonafairy for reviewing to nearly every chapter of this story. You two are basically the only reason I continued this story. Thank you very much guys and feel free to read my other stories. Again, review please.**

**Bellacullenswan17**


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